


It's 1998

by destroyedspectacularly



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1990s, Alternate Universe - College/University, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Blow Jobs in a Car, Bondage, Bottoming from the Top, Breathplay, Collars, Daddy Kink, Dirty Talk, Exhibitionism, Facials, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Frottage, GOING STEADY, Getting Together, Hand Jobs, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Making Out, Marijuana, Masturbation, Mentions of choking, Mentions of past child abuse, Recreational Drug Use, Rimming, Road Head, Road Trip, Semi-Public Sex, Skinny Dipping, Spanking, Teasing, Truth or Dare, Voyeurism, light subspace
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-02-08 22:50:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 115,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12874734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/destroyedspectacularly/pseuds/destroyedspectacularly
Summary: The 90s RomCom AU nobody asked for.When Geoff makes a deal with his roommate Ryan in the hopes of making a little extra cash for himself, it takes a while for him to realize that he may be in way over his head when he meets the guy he's supposed to date then dump. Michael Jones isn't the kind of guy Geoff would walk away from, not by a long shot.





	1. Chapter 1

Geoff was against the back wall of the club, bumping shoulders with leather jackets and nodding along to the rhythm of the music. It was as loud and numbing as only a shitty cover band playing a song by the Ramones could, and Geoff hadn’t quite disillusioned himself enough to care. It had a decent beat and people seemed to be having a good time, so Geoff would linger in the cloud of cigarette smoke for a while longer at least.  
  
He checked his watch.  
  
Okay, not that much longer.  
  
He still had a paper to write, and he’d only read half the book, and well. It wasn’t a great idea to go out but he had done it anyway, call it what you will. Geoff sighed as the lead singer attempted a stage dive, and figured it was his cue to leave. He stubbed out his cigarette on the grimy floor just as the dude hit the ground, and stifled his laughter as he shouldered his way out of the crowd.  
  
“You takin’ off?” Gavin called from the bar, and Geoff waved over his shoulder in response. The kid was toasted, and Geoff was not gonna play babysitter tonight.  
  
“You’re getting’ old, Geoff!” Gavin called after him and Geoff just chuckled.  
  
“Wish I could say the same about you!” Geoff yelled back, and Gavin flipped him off.  
  
Geoff chuckled to himself and pulled his earphones over his head, hit play on his Walkman before making his way toward the bus stop. The September air was cool but biting against his face, and he shoved his hands in the pockets of his hoodie to preserve their warmth. As he got on the bus he checked his pager and saw that Jack had called. He mulled over what Jack might’ve called about as the bus made its way through the city until it reached his stop.  
  
Geoff clambered out of the bus hazily and made the walk down to his apartment, a few blocks over. He cursed the cold front under his breath as he fumbled with his keys, almost tired enough to consider just buzzing in and forcing Ryan to let him up. Just as he was about to do so, he got a hold of the right key and shoved it in, then braced himself for the walk up the stairs.  
  
He was used to the climb now, having to go up and down between classes and all, but he always felt disdain ringing in the back of his mind as it reminded him of trying to get up the damn things with boxes and boxes of books when they moved in. Geoff had never thought he’d had so many books until they spilled out of a weak cardboard box and scattered down the steps. What a fucking nightmare.  
  
“Ryan, did Jack call?” Geoff asked as he walked through the threshold, dropping his keys on a side table and pulling his headphones down around his neck.  
  
“Hm?” Ryan responded from his room.  
  
Geoff sighed and went to Ryan’s room and stood in the doorway, “Did Jack call?”  
  
“Uh, I don’t know,” Ryan said without turning around. He was using his computer, empty diet coke cans scattered across his desk messily.  
  
“You prick, get off the internet so I can use the phone,” Geoff said, walking up to Ryan and pushing at his shoulder.  
  
“No, wait just- I’m talking to somebody,” Ryan responded hastily, and Geoff chuckled.  
  
“Who is it this time?” Geoff asked, shoving Ryan over to get a look at the screen, “Who the hell is eastcoaster6401?”  
  
“Not sure. I met him in the singles twenty plus chatroom, and we’ve been chatting- wait what time is it?” Ryan asked, and Geoff checked his watch.  
  
“Uh, it’s half an hour to midnight,” Geoff said.  
  
“Fuck, okay I lost a few hours there. I guess we were talking longer than I thought.”  
  
“Hours?” Geoff asked, “How interesting could he be?”  
  
“A few hours’ worth, apparently,” Ryan said, and then almost jumped as the little notification sound went off.  
  
“Christ- I just need to return Jack’s call, could you just- just get off for a second?” Geoff asked, and Ryan shook his head.  
  
“I don’t wanna wait again.”  
  
“But you’ve been on the internet for hours!” Geoff whined, and Ryan sighed.  
  
“Oh wait! Uh,” Ryan got up and scrounged around his room a bit before he pulled out a little device and tossed it at Geoff.  
  
“What the fuck am I holding?” Geoff asked, flipping the little thing around in his hands gently.  
  
“You know what a cell phone is, don’t play dumb.” Ryan replied as he settled himself back in his desk chair.  
  
“I know what a cell phone is, yeah, but I don’t know how the fuck you got one. Nokia? Dude, this is probably a good chunk of my tuition right here,” Geoff said, and Ryan smirked.  
  
“My dad sent it last week, it’s his old one.” Ryan said smugly, and Geoff’s eyes widened.  
  
“Old one?”  
  
“If you can believe it yeah,” Ryan chuckled as he typed out another IM to eastcoaster6401.  
  
“Shit, dude. You’re so rich, I almost hate you, but mostly I think I love you.”  
  
Ryan let out a laugh at that, “Whatever, just call Jack and get out.”  
  
“Sure thing, Richie Rich,” Geoff said, and dodged an empty soda can that Ryan tossed his way as he left the room.  
  
Geoff stared at the cell phone for a moment before dialing Jack’s number on the crowded number pad and hitting the little green button. He held it to his ear and heard the line ringing and almost started to laugh. The future was kind of awesome.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
“Hey Jack, it’s Geoff what’s up?” Geoff said as he walked into his room and closed the door behind him.  
  
“Where’ve you been, man?” Jack’s voice was as clear as day coming out of the phone and Geoff got giddy with the strangeness of it as he toed off his shoes and sat on the edge of his mattress.  
  
“Oh I was out, met up with Gavin at Emo’s, y’know. The usual.”  
  
Jack made a sound of affirmation, and then said, “Did you start on the paper?”  
  
Geoff paused, “Uh, no.”  
  
“Dude.”  
  
“I’m gonna do it! I’m doing it right now, actually!” Geoff said, glancing at his shitty and abused electronic typewriter on his desk but making no move to grab it.  
  
“It’s due at eight in the morning. That’s like, nine hours, Geoff.” Jack said bluntly.  
  
Geoff scoffed, “Nine hours is plenty.”  
  
“Whatever you say man. Get to reading.”  
  
“I finished reading it!”  
  
Jack chuckled, “Right. I’ll call you tomorrow.”  
  
“Okay.” Geoff said like a scorned child, and picked at the loose thread in his torn jeans.  
  
“Bye.”  
  
Geoff made a mocking face at the cell phone, tossed it on his bed, and laid back for a moment. He could hear the quiet dinging sound of Ryan’s AIM notifications from across the hall, and for a second it was calming, until it was fucking annoying.  
  
“Turn off that stupid noise!” Geoff yelled, and then the sound stopped. Thank god.  
  
Geoff groaned and rubbed at his eyes absently, he knew he should’ve written the paper days ago, or at least finished reading the damn book. The professor was an asshole, though, and Geoff hated doing work for assholes, so he ended up putting it off. And now, again, he was putting it off just sitting and thinking to himself how stupid the whole thing was anyway.  
  
“Shit. Okay.” he said to himself as he grabbed the book from his nightstand and opened to where he left off a few days ago, “Alright Ellison, let’s fuckin’ do it.”  
  
**  
  
Geoff was three pages into the paper by 2am, and that was precisely when Ryan knocked on his door.  
  
“Ugh, what, what is it, please distract me.” Geoff grumbled when Ryan entered the room with a sheepish smile.  
  
“So, me and that guy…” Ryan started, and Geoff groaned.  
  
“Never mind, get out,” Geoff said, and Ryan went to sit on his bed. Geoff turned in his desk chair to face him with a grimace.  
  
“C’mon, please?” Ryan asked.  
  
“Dude, I can’t scope out your fucking blind dates every time, it doesn’t fucking work that way!” Geoff said, and Ryan pursed his lips.  
  
“I only ask you to scope out the ones that won’t tell me their names,” Ryan said defensively.  
  
“Yeah, but that’s _most_ gay dudes online. It’s 1998, man, nobody wants to be accidentally outed on America Online of all fuckin places,” Geoff said, and Ryan sighed.  
  
Geoff looked at Ryan and blinked tiredly. He had helped Ryan out two or three times before, and of those times, once the dude didn’t show, another was an asshole who was pulling ‘a prank’, and the last was just a normal guy- which Geoff was thankful for. Geoff had run off the kid pulling a prank, but he still had no idea what Ryan thought he could do if it turned out to be a little more serious. Geoff could hold his own in a fight, sure, but it wouldn’t be pretty.  
  
This was why Geoff didn’t do the whole online dating scene. Everyone in his circle said it was the safest and easiest place to find someone to hookup with, but it still seemed so messy. Fake names, no pictures, no idea what kind of strange person you could end up meeting- if they’re who they say they are at all.  
  
“Look, I barely got him to agree, he seems a little skittish, and I just. He actually seems _nice_ and I wanna know the lay of the land, y’know?” Ryan said, and Geoff nodded.  
  
“Fine. I’ll do it. Name? Picture? No? Yeah, okay.” Geoff said resignedly as Ryan shook his head no to every question.  
  
Ryan made no move to leave as Geoff finished talking, and appeared to be thinking for a minute before finally saying, “Would you possibly do it… for _more_ than one date?” Ryan asked, and Geoff widened his eyes at him.  
  
“Dude, seriously?” Geoff asked, but Ryan ignored him.  
  
“Yes or no?” Ryan asked.  
  
Geoff let out a breath and ran a hand through his hair tiredly, “No, man.”  
  
Ryan hummed, almost to himself, and continued, “What about for a hundred bucks?”  
  
“Ryan!”  
  
“Geoff.” Ryan said seriously, quirking an eyebrow like it might help his case. Geoff was nearly floored. Sure, Ryan had money to blow- had his own computer, a full ride scholarship, a fucking cell phone for christ’s sake- but it didn’t make it any less jarring when he flung his money around so easily. Geoff had never had the pleasure.  
  
“… Fuck. A hundred bucks?” Geoff considered the idea, frowning to himself. A hundred dollars was a lot of meals, a lot of nights Geoff wouldn’t have to pick between dinner and rent. He took a breath and continued, “For how many dates?”  
  
“Let’s say, like three.” Ryan said after a moment.  
  
_“’Like’_ three?” Geoff pressed, narrowing his eyes.  
  
“Three.” Ryan said, rolling his eyes as he did.  
  
Geoff thought on it for a moment, and then continued, “I want two hundred.”  
  
Ryan scoffed, “For _three_ dates?”  
  
“Yeah dude, I’m not just doing a service I’m gonna be what- paying for like food or drinks and shit. Wait, wait- Ryan, this is shifty as hell, _three dates?_ Am I supposed to _fuck him,_ too?”  
  
_“No,_ no.” Ryan implored, leaning in like he was telling Geoff some weird version of a game plan, “You’ll just like. Dump him, and then I swoop in and save the day.”  
  
“Whoa, this is way more complicated than I was expecting,” Geoff said, leaning back while Ryan smiled mischievously.  
  
“Call it new tactics.” Ryan countered, and Geoff sighed.  
  
“That sounds fucked up, and like. I don’t know, manipulative?” Geoff said, almost like he was asking himself more so than Ryan.  
  
“Just think of it as a wingman thing.” Ryan said, putting his hand out like he was just waiting for Geoff’s response.  
  
“Y’know,” Geoff started, grinning cheekily, “I’ve always thought you were kind of creepy.”  
  
“Two fifty.” Ryan said, deadpan.  
  
“Done.” Geoff responded, no hesitation. Ryan smiled and clapped him on the shoulder as he crossed the room to leave, closing the door behind him.  
  
Geoff liked to think he was a pretty simple dude. The prospect of a couple of nice crisp bills cushioning him for the next few days wasn’t fucking bad. If it meant all he had to do was to show up to a bar and hang with a dude three times, well, Geoff had done weirder for less. A lot less. In fact, he had probably done some extremely weird shit for no compensation at all.  
  
It was about god damn time he got paid for it.  
  
Geoff shook his head absently like he was trying to shake away the implications of the deal he had just made- was it a deal if they didn’t shake hands? Could he still change his mind if he woke up in the morning and realized that it was pretty fucked, morally? Geoff couldn’t tell, but turned back around to face his typewriter to get in the last two pages before he passed the fuck out.  
  
“Focus,” Geoff whispered to himself as he started typing again, but his mind kept pulling back until he had to stop and take a breath before continuing. It was no big deal, and he just had to compartmentalize it away until he believed it so his conscience wouldn’t feel so heavy.  
  
He rolled his eyes at himself for getting so stuck on it, and briefly wondered if it was because what he was gonna do for Ryan was a tad more elaborate than the other times. He barely had to stick around long enough to see the guy’s face before Ryan came in, usually, but _this_ required a significant amount of finesse. And romance.  
  
Geoff scrunched his eyes closed and groaned tiredly. As far as Ryan knew, Geoff was straight, and had been since before they met in high school. Ryan came out to Geoff the summer before senior year, and Geoff had been there for him and kept his secret, and that was that. Their dynamic was supposed to be complete- Geoff was the straight dude who hung out with a bunch of gay dudes and that was pretty much what he became known for when they moved out to Austin.  
  
The problem was, that Geoff was straight _in theory_ more than in practice.  
  
Well, in practice he wasn’t a whole lot at all. Geoff’s opinion on online dating extended to dating in general- it’s tedious, messy, and unpredictable. So Geoff had dated sparingly in his time in college, but never seriously, and not always women. Mostly, Geoff had dated whoever asked him out because he didn’t want to say no, and it was usually fun, but he rarely gave them a follow-up date. The furthest he’d gone had been was when he had sex with his high school sweetheart, and anyone else had been messy make out sessions or quick handjobs in the back of their car. The experiences hadn’t been particularly memorable or enlightening, but everyone had walked away having had a good time, so it wasn’t bad.  
  
He’d never gone further than kissing with guys, though, because it was usually a lot of nervousness about either one pushing the other too far, especially with all the shit about GRID going on in the news. Things had definitely calmed down since that time, though, and guys were becoming more forward to Geoff right off the bat. It had never actually gotten down to it though, so Geoff had a general lack of experience with guys.  
  
Just the idea that Geoff had any experience with guys at all would be news to Ryan, though, and Geoff couldn’t help but feel bad about not letting him know. It just seemed so weird to tell anyone anything with certainty when Geoff himself didn’t really know what to call himself- if he should call himself anything at all. But still, Ryan not knowing wasn’t the most worrying thing.  
  
What was worrying was that what he was about to do would mean that he’d have to act like the kind of person who would go out of their way to meet someone online and set up a date- like someone with more experience. It was a daunting task, and Geoff wasn’t even sure if he could convince someone to stick around for a second date, let alone a third. He didn’t find himself extremely interesting, and doubted that he could entertain someone for so long.  
  
All of these thoughts ran circles around Geoff’s head as he finished up the paper, and by the time he typed up the last few words, his shoulders were as tense as ever. Whatever he had written while distracted was more bullshit than it was actual analysis, but it was done, and that was enough, and if he didn’t get to sleep _right fucking now_ he was gonna regret it in the morning.  
  
Geoff climbed into his bed tiredly, shedding his pants, hoodie, and shirt before burying his face in the mattress and trying to convince himself not to scream into it. He didn’t, after telling himself that he wasn’t allowed to stress over something that barely involved him. All he was, was a middleman. Find out if the guy is alright, and then break things off so that Ryan could get the guy. A niggling thought wormed its way through the back of Geoff’s mind as he drifted to sleep, and from its place it whispered doubt into his psyche.  
  
Once he thought it, he couldn’t un-think it. It echoed in the walls of his skull like a too-loud secret in an empty cathedral, and fuck if Geoff could sleep with that shit going on.  
  
“Shut _up,”_ he whispered to himself before fading into sleep, jaw slack and sheets twisted around his legs tightly. In the morning he would barely remember the thought, and by lunch time it would have left his conscious mind completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys liked this first chapter!  
> I _should_ be updating this weekly, the next chapter will probably go up on Monday!
> 
> Thanks for reading! If you liked this chapter, let me know by leaving kudos! Or let me know what you think in the comments! ♥


	2. Chapter 2

Michael rushed across campus with a quiet determination. It had taken longer than he had thought it would to get a cup of coffee before class, and he fucking hated being late. Everyone in the god damn class always turns to look at whoever shows up late, and Michael was against ever being on the receiving end of that, but as he glanced at his watch- 7:45am, _christ,_ why did he have such an early class- he realized he was just gonna have to deal with it.  
  
He turned a corner to get to the building his class was in, and just as he did someone attempted to skirt by him, but instead knocked the hot coffee out of his hand and onto the pavement. The fucking guy didn’t even pause, and Michael could feel his blood boil as his hand turned pink and then red from the burn.  
  
“ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!? ASSHOLE!” Michael yelled at the retreating guy, making several people turn their heads, but he didn’t fucking care. His eyes were just watching the guy rush away, tattoos stark on his skin burning into Michael’s irises.  
  
“Sorry!” the guy called back with a cracked voice, but made no move to go back and apologize properly.  
  
Michael sighed. Now he was out a coffee and like two bucks, and he was definitely gonna be late now. He reached down and picked up the now-empty cup and chucked it into the nearest trashcan. Why the fuck couldn’t people just watch where they were going? Not everything was a race, everyone could afford to chill out for a second- at least long enough to not bump into people.  
  
Michael rolled his eyes, adjusted his backpack on his shoulder, and started walking. If this was what the vibe was like this early in the morning, maybe it wasn’t worth the effort. With this in mind, he decided to skip the class and went back to his dorm instead.  
  
**  
  
Geoff could not afford to chill out for a second- that’s what he told himself after knocking the drink out of that kid’s hand. That he couldn’t afford to chill out, because chilling out led to things like forgetting to set an alarm and waking up to a phone call from Jack telling him to get his ass up _now._ Thank god for little favors.  
  
Still, as he made it to class right before the professor locked the door- a shitty rule, “If you’re late to my class, you might very well find yourself locked out.”- he couldn’t help but feel awful about the little incident. Probably ruined that guy’s whole day. Fuckin smug, know-it-all prick, lit professor with his stupid rules. Geoff would have at least liked to have stopped to help the guy out, maybe offer to pay for it. Sucked, but he couldn’t do it all.  
  
“Hand your papers forward- if they aren’t stapled, don’t bother handing it in,” the professor said just as Geoff sat down.  
  
Geoff looked to Jack bug-eyed, and Jack hadn’t even looked up before he was handing Geoff a small stapler. The man was a saint, and Geoff probably wouldn’t exist if Jack didn’t put up with his bullshit on a day-to-day basis. Geoff mouthed the words thank you when Jack finally did look up and he just chuckled.  
  
They passed their papers up and Geoff promptly fell asleep as soon as the professor started to drone on about the importance of having an early paper in the course so that he could gage the understanding of _blah blah blah_ and Geoff was asleep. He didn’t usually fall asleep in classes, but he also didn’t usually finish an assignment at three in the morning for an 8am class. Knowing this, he let himself have the sleep, thankful for his hidden position behind some ex-quarterback from whatever old high school stomping grounds.  
  
He woke up to the sound of something slamming and screamed in surprise. When he shook himself from the daze he realized that the class was empty and Jack was laughing from where he was stood beside him- the sound was Jack dropping his textbook on the floor.  
  
“Wake up, loser,” Jack said, and Geoff groaned and got up to follow him out the door.  
  
“So what time did you finish?” Jack asked.  
  
Geoff sighed, ruffled his hair, “Around three.”  
  
“That’s actually not as bad as I thought it would be.” Jack said, impressed in a way that was almost mocking, and Geoff just grimaced.  
  
“Well, it would’ve been less if Ryan hadn’t interrupted me.” Geoff said.  
  
“What’d he want?” Jack asked, and Geoff explained to him Ryan’s specific request.  
  
“Jesus. Tell me you didn’t agree to that, Geoff,” Jack said, and Geoff scrunched up his face but didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to.  
  
“Geoff!”  
  
“Two hundred and _fifty_ dollars, Jack! I make like five bucks an hour at the call center, and I don’t have that many hours!” Geoff yelled, and Jack shook his head in disbelief.  
  
“Alrighty then.” Jack said, chuckling, and Geoff frowned.  
  
“Sorry I’m not on academic scholarship like you assholes,” Geoff mocked.  
  
Jack let out a breath at that, “Alright, point taken. Take a chill pill.”  
  
“Shut up.”  
  
Jack laughed, “So when’s the first date?”  
  
“Fuck if I know, man.” Geoff said as they walked into the university café, spotting Ryan at their usual table in the back.  
  
“You look like shit, Geoff,” Ryan said when they sat down, and Geoff flipped him off.  
  
“Laugh it up, asshole,” Geoff said as Ryan let out a low chuckle.  
  
“How’s it goin’ Ryan?” Jack asked, because he genuinely cared- unlike Geoff who could fall asleep again at that very moment with no remorse.  
  
“Fine, considering I actually made it to class on time- unlike _some people,”_ Ryan said teasingly, and Geoff rolled his eyes.  
  
“You’re a real prick for not waking me up,” Geoff said.  
  
“I honestly thought you had already left,” Ryan responded, shrugging as he brought his coffee to his lips and took a sip. Geoff longed to knock it out of his hand- on purpose this time.  
  
“Yeah, well I honestly thought you were like- I dunno, a decent human being or something- but I guess, we were both wrong,” Geoff countered, and Jack let out a laugh at that.  
  
“Anyways,” Jack said, before Ryan could respond, “What’s with this weird-ass deal you made with Geoff, Ryan?”  
  
“We never shook hands!” Geoff interrupted briefly, but they both ignored him.  
  
Ryan glanced around vaguely before he spoke, “It’s not that weird.”  
  
“I beg to differ.” Geoff scoffed, and stole Ryan’s coffee to take a sip.  
  
“Whatever, do you want the two fifty or what?” Ryan asked.  
  
“No duh. Yes, I want your money. I just also want a clean conscience,” Geoff said, staring unblinkingly at Ryan’s hands as he opened up his wallet.  
  
“I’m afraid you can’t have both,” Ryan said, and handed him the money. Shit. Now this was real, and Geoff had to follow through.  
  
Geoff sighed as he picked up the money- not as cool when it felt so wrong. Ryan had opted for larger bills, and they were crisp in between Geoff’s fingers. Geoff wouldn’t be surprised if they were sequential as well, but he sure as fuck wasn’t gonna check.  
  
“So, what exactly does Geoff have to do?” Jack asked as Geoff tucked the bills neatly into his own wallet.  
  
“Show up. Pretend to be me. I didn’t tell him my name, he hasn’t seen a picture, so you can still be _you,”_ Ryan said, gesturing vaguely to Geoff’s appearance.  
  
“Wait, but- he’s already talked to you. A lot. He wouldn’t fucking guess that I’m not you?” Geoff asked, and Ryan shrugged.  
  
“People act different in person sometimes, I don’t think it’s a big deal.” Ryan said.  
  
“Yeah, but I bet he’s not expecting… Geoff,” Jack said, eyeing Geoff’s tattoos.  
  
“You guys are thinking too much- it doesn’t matter. As long as Geoff shows up and knows my screenname and eastcoaster6401, then he has no reason to think it’s not me.” Ryan said exasperatedly, raising his eyebrows at them as if to ask if they got it.  
  
“I guess that makes sense.” Geoff said softly. He still felt like Ryan was too smart and polite for Geoff to pass as him, but if Ryan said all he needed was a screenname, then Geoff would believe him.  
  
“So what’s your screenname?” Jack asked, and Ryan blushed a little.  
  
He mumbled something quietly, and both Geoff and Jack leaned in, “What?” Geoff asked.  
  
“blue_eyesvagabond,” Ryan said quickly, avoiding their gazes as they laughed.  
  
“Good on you, Ryan, play to your strengths,” Jack said, shaking his head in amusement.  
  
“God,” Geoff laughed out, “Well. At least I have blue eyes.”  
  
“Oh yeah,” Jack said, looking into Geoff’s eyes intently, “I always forget that both you fuckers have blue eyes.”  
  
“A gift,” Geoff said simply, shrugging as he did.  
  
Ryan rolled his eyes, “Whatever, the point is that you show up, pretend you were the one there to meet him, show him a good time, kiss goodnight, and get him to come around for date number two.”  
  
“Ooh, a kiss goodnight, how exciting,” Jack teased, and Geoff was really beginning to wonder how he ended up there.  
  
“Oh yeah, my panties are wet just thinking about it,” Geoff said, and Ryan grimaced at that, “So what, besides all of that it’s pretty much anything goes?”  
  
“What do you mean?” Ryan asked, leaning in and resting his head on his hand.  
  
“Like, I dunno. Three dates- everyone knows what that means.” Geoff said vaguely- even he knew that whole stigma that surrounded the third date.  
  
Jack chuckled, “Well you could dump him before he tries to get in your pants, Geoff.”  
  
“I’m not gonna dump someone on the third date! You can’t just do that!” Geoff whisper-screamed, looking around warily.  
  
“You absolutely could.” Ryan said flatly.  
  
“Well I won’t!” Geoff frowned, “I’ll dump him like, the next day or maybe-,”  
  
“Then he’ll think it was because of the sex.” Jack cut in, and Geoff’s frown deepened.  
  
“I’m not- _fuck.”_ Geoff put his head in his hands, “What did I get myself into?”  
  
“Hm. Sounds like a personal preference problem, listen. Geoff.” Ryan waited until Geoff looked up before he spoke, “I don’t care what you do- but obviously you don’t have to have sex with him. You’re straight, I get it.”  
  
“I’m confused.” Geoff mumbled.  
  
Jack glanced at him sideways, “You’re… not straight?”  
  
“What? No, I- I’m talking about like- what’s _your_ plan Ryan? Are you, like, going for the rebound sex?” Geoff asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
“Uh,” Ryan stalled, “would it be awful if I said yes?”  
  
“Yeah,” “No,” Jack and Geoff said simultaneously, and Ryan shrugged.  
  
“Yeah, rebound. He wants someone to go steady with, I think he’s decent and I only wanna fuck him.” Ryan said simply, tossing his empty coffee cup into a trashcan.  
  
“You’re so crude.” Jack said, shaking his head.  
  
“Whatever. Are we good? Anything else?” Ryan asked, and Geoff pursed his lips absently.  
  
“When is this?” Jack asked, and Geoff snapped to attention again.  
  
“Friday. At uh- The White Horse,” Ryan said, and both Geoff and Jack groaned in unison.  
  
“That bar sucks.” Geoff said.  
  
“How am I supposed to know?” Ryan asked, “I just fucking picked a bar that I hear people talking about on campus.”  
  
Jack and Geoff shared a look, “That’s why it sucks.” Jack said.  
  
“Well, whatever, he didn’t seem to mind.” Ryan said, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms.  
  
“So he’s a loser.” Geoff said, and Ryan scowled.  
  
“He’s an average campus student.” Ryan said, as if it was the end of the discussion.  
  
“Or he’s underage.” Jack said, and both Ryan and Geoff winced.  
  
“Fuck.” Geoff added eloquently, and _that_ seemed to signal the end of the discussion.  
  
“Anyways… Ryan did you show Jack your new little doodad?” Geoff said, pinching the air in front of him and raising his eyebrows. He knew very well how much Ryan liked to show off his new fucking gadgets.  
  
“Oh yeah!” Ryan said, face lighting up as he pulled out the little Nokia cell phone, “Thanks for getting it back to me by the way,” Ryan continued sarcastically.  
  
“You should’ve known better than to lend it to me.” Geoff said without missing a beat.  
  
“Holy shit that’s nice Ryan, what the fuck,” Jack said, grabbing for it.  
  
“It even has a game on it.” Ryan said with a grin and Jack’s jaw practically dropped.  
  
“What?” Jack asked excitedly, and Ryan giggled.  
  
“Snake.” Ryan pulled up the game and Jack and Geoff watched intently as a little dot traveled across the screen eating dots and getting longer.  
  
“That’s adorable,” Geoff said, and Ryan died as he spoke.  
  
“Technology is amazing,” Jack said, leaning back with a smile, and Ryan nodded in agreement.  
  
“Yeah, for you fuckin’ geeks.” Geoff said, and Jack and Ryan ignored him in favor of talking about some more geeky shit while Geoff considered just taking off without them.  
  
**  
  
Michael slammed through the front door of his dorm and tossed his backpack on the ground before sitting on the couch to steam a little bit more. Ray walked out of the kitchen with a bowl of cereal, still in his pajamas, and came to sit on the couch beside him.  
  
“Don’t you have class?” Ray mumbled around a mouthful of cheerios, not even looking up as he spoke.  
  
“Might drop it.” Michael responded tersely.  
  
“Mm. Sucked?” Ray asked, glancing up at Michael through dirty lenses.  
  
“Wasn’t great,” Michael said, and then leaned back further on the couch. He was preparing to change the subject so that he could get over the stupid coffee incident, but just as he was about to speak he noticed it.  
  
“Are. You. Fucking. _Kidding me?!”_ Michael yelled, having just barely noticed the coffee stain that had already dried into the right leg of his jeans. And they were his good fucking jeans too.  
  
“Why are there so many loud noises?” came a tired voice, and then Jeremy appeared from around the corner, peeking out of his room sleepily.  
  
Michael couldn’t even process how to respond, just gritted his teeth and tried his best not to burst out yelling at everybody for simply existing around him when he was so needlessly angry. He could feel the tension in his spine intensifying, and he closed his eyes to try and just calm down for a second.  
  
“I think he’s gonna blow,” Ray deadpanned from beside him, and Michael scrunched up his face.  
  
“Oh, Michael. What happened?” Jeremy asked, stepping out of his room fully now.  
  
Michael took a breath, and made sure that he wasn’t gonna start yelling the second he opened his mouth before he said anything, “I- fuck. I fucking hate everyone. I can’t even _talk,_ jesus christ I’m going to sleep.”  
  
“Michael, you have class later,” Jeremy said, tracking Michael with his eyes as he rose to his feet and walked toward his room.  
  
“Nope,” Michael said, and then closed the door to his room behind him.  
  
It wasn’t just the coffee and it wasn’t just the stain, Michael knew that, but he didn’t feel like explaining himself to anyone. It definitely had something to do with the bank statement he got earlier in the week, or the phone call from his mom where she explained that she was gonna cut down his weekly allowance. When he had asked why, she had tried to avoid the question, but of course couldn’t help but gush about the late honeymoon she was having with his new step-father. Hawaii. That was enough of an answer for Michael, so he hung up the phone, and then hung it up again when she called back.  
  
Now, Michael tossed himself onto his bed bodily and shoved his face into his pillow, resisting the urge to scream. Pillows don’t muffle noise as much as Michael would like, and it’s a lesson he’s learned several times now. Still, he pushed the fabric of the pillow into his face, in some maniacal strategy he adapted to calm himself down. It didn’t really work, but he figured if he pretended that it worked for long enough then it would maybe pan out.  
  
Michael turned over onto his back and stared at the ceiling. He had been awake too long to feel tired enough to go back to sleep, but still tired enough to feel dead. He groaned absently, wished for _something_ to take him the fuck out, be it death or sleep or aliens.  
  
“Well,” Michael said quietly to himself, and then listened intently.  
  
There were no mumbling sounds of their shitty TV, no quiet humming of conversation between Ray and Jeremy, not even the annoying whirr of Jeremy’s computer starting up. Did they leave? Michael held his breath for a second more as he waited for any sound at all, and then made his decision.  
  
He unzipped his pants, and pushed them down so they got bunched up around his knees, and then dragged his fingers up the inseam of his thighs. It had been a hot minute since he had the opportunity, the pleasure.  
  
It got weird when Ray, Jeremy, and Michael had all moved in for the first time. They were all friends, but nobody wanted to be the first caught with somebody in their room, or with their hand in their pants. After all, they were living in pretty close quarters, and the only doors with locks in their shitty dorm were the bathrooms. It meant for a lot of pent-up uneasiness between them for a while, and honestly, Michael wasn’t sure how they had lasted so long without saying anything.  
  
It had come down to some night where they were all squished onto the couch watching some movie on VHS, and Jeremy had started to squirm a bit beside Ray. Michael had felt Ray tense up, and then suddenly rise to his feet after glancing at Jeremy.  
  
“Dude!” Ray had yelled, half amused and half grossed out.  
  
“I’m sorry!” Jeremy had yelled back immediately, face flushed.  
  
“Guys- the movie- Ray sit down,” Michael had said, trying to look around Ray toward the TV.  
  
“Uh, I’ll sit down if Jeremy can chill out,” Ray had said, and Michael looked at him quizzically.  
  
“What?” he asked, and then looked over to Jeremy. He didn’t get it until he spared a glance towards Jeremy’s lap, and then burst out in laughter.  
  
“What the fuck, Lil J!” he had laughed out, curling over himself as he tried to reign in his laughter.  
  
“What do you want me to do!?” Jeremy had yelled, Boston accent slipping in a bit as he sat flustered.  
  
“Take care of it!” Michael and Ray had said in unison. At that, Jeremy got to his feet and went to his room, and that was that. Sort of.  
  
It was still something no one wanted to be cornered about. Michael, in particular, had taken to jerking off in the shower while covering his mouth with one hand. It wasn’t as good in the shower- you’d think that the water would help things along, but mainly it made it weirder for his hand to slide up and down on his dick. But, he’d figured that the static sound of the shower would reduce the possibility of anyone overhearing him because, well. He couldn’t fucking help it. Throughout high school Michael had his own room, his siblings had all moved out, and the house was pretty much always empty. Save for him and his right hand, the place was begging to be taken advantage of. So he was loud, frequently and involuntarily, which made the roommate transition a little messier.  
  
Right now he was being a bit reckless, and knew so even as he got his hand beneath his boxers to wrap around the base of his dick. Thin walls don’t keep anyone’s secrets. He bit at his knuckle, letting out a harsh breath as he pumped his other hand over himself, fully hard now. He knew that if anything, this would help him release a little tension, help him to get to sleep. He risked a low moan, and then set about jerking himself fast and easy, letting his hips come up to meet his hand.  
  
_“Fuck,”_ he rasped out, barely audible even to his own ears.  
  
He twisted his hand on every upstroke, screwed his eyes shut as he picked up the pace, and with a heavy gasp he finished, a moan wrenching out of him too-loud, come landing sticky on his hand. Michael grimaced as he grabbed for some tissues, cleaned himself up as much as he could muster before letting the haze of pleasure drag him into sleep. He knew, in the back of his mind, that he wouldn’t be dropping the class, and that two dollars for coffee wasn’t gonna do him any good anyway. The anger slowly subsided with his every tired inhale, until it was just a pool at the bottom corners of his mind. As long as nothing splashed it around, eventually it would evaporate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys liked this chapter!  
> I'm impatient so I posted early in the day, but fuck it lmao
> 
> Chapter 3 should be up next Monday!  
> If you like this chapter do me a favor and leave kudos if you haven't already, and as always let me know what you think in the comments!  
> Love to hear from you guys ♥


	3. Chapter 3

_“Hello bitches!”_ Gavin yelled through the intercom and Geoff winced at the crackled echo of his unmistakable voice.  
  
“Come up, you miserable prick,” Geoff said into the speaker, hitting the button to buzz Gavin in and then going to sit back on the couch.  
  
Gavin burst through the front door with a flourish and then tossed himself onto the couch beside Geoff, invading his personal place on principal. Geoff chuckled and pushed him away, eyes not leaving the TV as he waited for commercial break to end. Gavin fidgeted beside him, forever annoyed when he didn’t get the attention he sought, but Geoff knew better than to give in quite so early.  
  
“What are we watching then?” Gavin said eventually, glancing at the small TV.  
  
“The X-Files, dude.” Geoff said, and then commercial break was over and it was playing again.  
  
The thing was that Geoff already knew the drill. He had a tape in the VHS player so he could watch the episode later, because even if he ignored Gavin, even if he made it clear that he was sitting and watching his show, every single fucking time, without fail-  
  
“God, this is _boring,_ can’t we do anything else?” Gavin whined, slapping his hands onto Geoff’s face annoyingly and then fiddling with his hoodie with a pout.  
  
Geoff waited until it went to commercial again, all the while Gavin yanked at his hoodie, and then sighed and turned to face him. Gavin batted his eyelashes like the little twink he fucking was, and Geoff crossed his arms and leaned back.  
  
“Every week-,” Geoff started, and Gavin interrupted.  
  
“C’mon, Geoff-,”  
  
“Every week!” Geoff cut him off, louder now, “You get here, I’m watching my show, and then you whine like a baby until we go out.”  
  
“Television is boring, Geoffrey!” Gavin whined, and Geoff could have made his whole case on that god damn whine, “The whole city awaits us!”  
  
“I _hate_ the whole city!” Geoff yelled, voice cracking, “Why the fuck would it be waiting for me?”  
  
Gavin paused for barely a second before responding, “Because it knows you’re friends with me, and I like to have a good time.”  
  
“Why isn’t sitting down on my fifteen-dollar goodwill couch and enjoying some paid-for-by-Ryan cable a good time?” Geoff asked, gesturing to the shitty couch with stains from god knows where that he had hauled up the flight of stairs with pride because it was _his_ fucking couch for christ’s sake.  
  
It was like Gavin hadn’t even heard him, “Geoff! Let’s go to Emo’s!”  
  
Geoff let out a sigh and looked away from Gavin, examining his thumbnail closely, “It’s not so fun anymore.”  
  
“You’re only saying that because you think that not drinking has reduced the total amount of fun.” Gavin said, matter-of-factly, and Geoff was more mad that he was right than contemptuous enough to say that he was wrong.  
  
“So what if I am?” Geoff said after a moment, sparing Gavin another glance.  
  
“Find the original joy, Geoff!” Gavin said, his eyes bright, “Tell me why you started hitting the bar scene in the first place.”  
  
Geoff pursed his lips in thought for a moment, “The- uh- the music, and to… meet people, I guess.”  
  
“Let’s go listen to music and meet people!” Gavin said with a grin, grabbing Geoff by the shoulders, “I won’t even drink- solidarity.”  
  
Geoff looked at him more seriously at that. It wasn’t that he _hated_ his friends for drinking when they went out even though Geoff wasn’t going to, it was just that sometimes it got to be a bit much. Sometimes when his friends were slammed enough, or had wandered away to dance drunkenly in a crowd of strangers, Geoff would think he could get away with it. One drink, and no one would see or notice or remember it the next morning. Just one drink, because maybe he hadn’t known the last one was gonna be his _last one-_ maybe he hadn’t appreciated it enough. It wasn’t like he was jonesing for one, no, it was a lot like that feeling people say they get when they’re standing on the edge of a cliff. It’s not that they wanted to jump, but a thought echoed crystal clear in the back of their mind, unignorable- _you could, if you wanted to._  
  
Geoff realized he was taking too long to answer, and was glad that Gavin was the patient kind when it came to Geoff thinking things through.  
  
“Alright, alright. Let’s go.” Geoff said, a smile sliding over his features easily when Gavin made that smug face of his and then slapped at his arm playfully.  
  
“Lovely!” Gavin said, pitching his voice low in that stupid way he did sometimes. Geoff was really thankful to have him around.  
  
They raced down the stairs, taking them two at a time, giggling like idiots, and then pushed through the front doors into the cool nighttime air. Geoff and Gavin stayed pinned together by the shoulders to share warmth, and Gavin started to hum the beginning of a song under his breath as they got to the bus stop.  
  
“What’s that?” Geoff said after a while of it, and Gavin grinned.  
  
_“I can feel it, coming in the air tonight,”_ Gavin sang quietly, and Geoff let out a laugh.  
  
“Stuck in the eighties much?” Geoff asked, nudging him playfully as the bus pulled up in front of them.  
  
“When there’s better music from another decade, I’ll get stuck there, until then-,” Gavin started.  
  
“Until then you’ll be singing Phil fucking Collins?” Geoff raised his eyebrows and Gavin shoved at him.  
  
“Fuck you, it’s a good damn song,” Gavin spat, and Geoff let out another chuckle, ruffling his hair. Gavin tensed at the touch and then ran his own hands through his hair to fix it again. Geoff rolled his eyes and they rode the bus in comfortable silence surrounded by dissimilar people heading to similar places. They put a few inches of space between them, fearing sidelong glances or raised eyebrows. Geoff did it for Gavin’s sake for the most part, he had very little issue being dumb and touchy with his friends in public, but obviously they had different things at stake and he respected it. Sometimes he felt the same pressure pushing him a few inches away from Jack at school, or pushing him closer toward girls when he talked to one. Always tried to catch himself, the whole idea of _society is always watching_ was a real pain in the ass and Geoff hoped to one day stop thinking about it entirely. But for now, he’d give Gavin his few inches and stay quiet on the bus.  
  
When they got to their stop Gavin half-dragged Geoff down the few blocks to the bar, each of them nodding at the bouncer in turn as he let them through into the music-filled place, the sound permeating through the walls endlessly.  
  
Gavin pulled a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket and silently offered Geoff one as they traveled through the mediocre crowd dancing to the band playing. Geoff took it, and the second it was between his lips there were well-meaning strangers offering him a light, which he took. This was another thing he enjoyed about the music scene in Austin. Or in any place for that matter. People learned this silent communication, and everything became physical, something that rose out of necessity more than anything else. Music so loud that ringing ears became a 4am lullaby, and Geoff found comfort in the hum. Gavin would tilt his head in one direction and Geoff knew to follow him, somebody gives you a look and you know they wanna dance, everyone nodded along to the music and you knew they appreciated the sound.  
  
It was calming, and most people who didn’t really get it- well, they never would. Geoff felt his muscles relax- talking could be a bit much. He thought that a lot of people talked just to talk- maybe to hear their own voice, or because they couldn’t take the silence. Geoff didn’t blame them, not exactly, talking is what they knew, it was their language. Geoff just wasn’t afraid to let silence be his.  
  
Gavin started to sway a bit to the music and Geoff smiled, and followed suit. They moved carelessly to the beat, and all at once Geoff was glad that Gavin had convinced him to go out. They went through a few songs like that, not really paying mind to anything but the music until they were sweaty and slow. The music came to a sudden stop, and the crowd cheered, Geoff clapped and Gavin grinned tiredly.  
  
_“This next one is for my ex- fuck you!”_ the lead singer yelled into the mic, and people cheered.  
  
Gavin nudged Geoff as the song started and Geoff followed him to the bar, flicking the stub of his cigarette onto the ground as he did. They found places to sit at the bar and Geoff slumped over it a bit, the cool surface of the bar soothing where it pressed to his arms.  
  
Gavin called the waiter to them, “A water for me and-,”  
  
“Diet coke.” Geoff said.  
  
The bartender nodded and ducked to get them the drinks, placing them on the bar and then walking away. Geoff opened the can and sipped at the cold drink, nodding along as the band played another song, slower this time. Gavin drummed his fingers on the bar, and then turned to Geoff.  
  
“You really doin’ that thing for Ryan?” he asked, like he had just remembered it.  
  
“Christ, who told you?” Geoff asked, glancing around the bar warily for anyone he might know.  
  
“I was on the phone with Jack yesterday-,” Gavin said, and Geoff groaned, rubbed at his forehead with one hand, “nearly ripped the phone off the damn hook when he told me. You that hard up for cash?”  
  
Geoff sighed, “Uh, yeah. Dude, two fifty for three dates. He already gave me the money- not half now, half when it’s done. You’d fucking do it in a heartbeat.”  
  
“I’d do it for free if I’m honest.” Gavin said wistfully, and Geoff looked at him incredulously.  
  
“Fuck off,” he responded, and Gavin squawked out a laugh.  
  
“Why’s that so hard to believe?” Gavin laughed out.  
  
“Because no one does anything for free, man!” Geoff yelled, and people turned a bit at the volume of it.  
  
“Okay, but listen- it _wouldn’t_ be for free. Guaranteed shag is what it is.” Gavin said, and Geoff made a face that said yikes, let out a chuckle.  
  
“You’re- uh, kind of a slut, Gavver, did you know?” Geoff said, bracing himself through laughter as Gavin smacked his arm.  
  
“That’s bloody rude! How would you like it if I called you a- a prude?” Gavin said in a huff and Geoff shrugged.  
  
“You wouldn’t be wrong- not exactly, anyway.” Geoff responded, sipping his coke and glancing away.  
  
“Yeah, but I shouldn’t _say it,”_ Gavin said, fiddling with the label on the water bottle, “Why don’t you date much anyway?”  
  
Geoff frowned, “No offense, but I have uh- standards.”  
  
Gavin scoffed, “Standards. Overrated.”  
  
“Okay, pretty boy, not all of us have hot people begging to get their mouths on our dicks. Or other varying genitalia.” Geoff said, nodding to himself.  
  
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Gavin asked, voice lilting higher.  
  
Geoff cleared his throat and prepared his best-worst british prick accent, _“Oh-doh, it means doh that a bloody accent goes a long way in bloody bed dunnit mate!”_  
  
Gavin about lost his shit laughing, and Geoff laughed along, until someone called out, “Gavin?” from behind them. They both turned to see some kid that Geoff didn’t recognize, but Gavin did.  
  
“Ray! What on earth are you doing here?” Gavin said to the guy- Ray, presumably. He walked up to them and gave Gavin a hug as he responded.  
  
“I was meeting up with somebody, they didn’t show, but I stuck around. Good music.” Ray said vaguely, gesturing back at the band who had signed off by now to be replaced by a DJ.  
  
“That’s rough. But hey, at least you got to see me!” Gavin said like the smug prick he is.  
  
“You smug prick,” Geoff chuckled out, and Ray laughed at that.  
  
“Ah, and this is my kind and eloquent arsehole of a friend, Geoff- I don’t believe you’ve met,” Gavin said, and Geoff just nodded and smiled while Ray did the same.  
  
“I guess you know Gavin pretty well,” Ray said, and Geoff smirked.  
  
“Way too fucking well.” Geoff said. He looked Ray up and down slowly as he talked to Gavin for a bit, zoning out and trying to gage how the hell Gavin meets such an odd variety of people. Ray didn’t look like the kind of person Geoff was used to seeing in this bar, or in any bar for that matter. The kid was wearing a hoodie that looked about ten sizes too big, he was practically swimming in it. Mostly he looked like he had just rolled out of bed, realized he was supposed to meet up with someone, showed up late, and then decided that it would be too weird to leave right after walking in. And Geoff was almost sure he was right when Gavin’s voice pulled him back to attention.  
  
“… and when did you get back in Austin?” Gavin asked, and Ray shrugged.  
  
“Whenever the fuck school started I guess,” Ray responded, and Gavin nodded intently.  
  
“Why haven’t we hung out yet then, you donut?” Gavin asked.  
  
“Funny enough, phones both make _and_ receive calls. Crazy I know,” Ray said sarcastically, and Geoff muffled his laughter by taking a sip of his drink.  
  
“Fair enough- when are we hanging out?” Gavin asked, raising a brow expectantly.  
  
“Whenever dude. Oh, you gotta meet my roommates, I finally got to room with people I know and it’s significantly less awful than the assholes I lived with last semester.” Ray said, with a kind of vague enthusiasm that Geoff almost didn’t catch.  
  
Gavin hummed and then his eyes went wide, “Wait, you were the one who told me you roomed with a guy who pissed into the trashcan if the bathroom was busy?”  
  
“Yup.” Ray said nonchalantly, and Geoff made a face just imagining it.  
  
“Disgusting.” Gavin muttered.  
  
“Hard not to agree.” Ray said, “But yeah, I went to high school with my new roommates, and we decided fuck it and requested to room together. Easiest decision I ever made.”  
  
“Glad to hear there’ll be no more pissy trash.” Gavin said, making Geoff cringe again.  
  
“No guarantees, but sure. Anyway, I gotta head out. Call me on Friday so we can hang!” Ray said, waving as he walked off toward the exit. Gavin waved and turned back around so he could lean on the bar, and Geoff did the same.  
  
“So I guess we both have dates on Friday,” Geoff said teasingly after a moment and Gavin gagged.  
  
“With Ray? Piss off. He’s like you, doesn’t really date- at least not that I’ve seen,” Gavin said, and Geoff waggled his eyebrows at him.  
  
“Maybe the winds of change are blustering through town, buddy. I have a date on Friday, and I don’t date, so it sure fucking seems like things are happening. Things.” Geoff said, poking at Gavin’s stomach playfully, and Gavin smacked his hands away.  
  
“Alright, knock it off.” Gavin said, and then continued, “Do you have a plan?”  
  
“A plan?” Geoff asked, shaking his head in confusion.  
  
“Yeah. How are you gonna get to the third date and also not have to fuck him, straighty?” Gavin asked, quirking an eyebrow curiously, and Geoff laughed nervously at the word.  
  
“Ah- uh, gonna be honest, I don’t know if I have the heart to _not_ fuck him, y’know?” Geoff said, finding it somehow easier to be honest with Gavin, “Like, he did the whole shebang and I’m supposed to what? Leave him hanging? That’s fucked up, dude.”  
  
Gavin laughed, nearly spilling his drink, “You’re really gonna sleep with him? How’re you gonna explain that!?”  
  
“To who?” Geoff asked.  
  
Gavin gestured vaguely and quickly around him, “To people who ask!”  
  
“Who the fuck’s gonna know?” Geoff said, tone becoming more threatening now.  
  
“I will!” Gavin squawked.  
  
Geoff let out an exaggerated sigh, “First of all- you can’t and _won’t_ be able to prove anything,” Gavin tried to interrupt but Geoff talked over his indignant sounds, “Second of all, if you think I somehow have to answer to you-,”  
  
“Of course you do!” Gavin interrupted, successfully this time.  
  
“Why!?” Geoff yelled, voice cracking.  
  
“I’m the gay one!” Gavin yelled back, ducking a bit as he did.  
  
Geoff looked around to make sure no one had heard Gavin and then leaned in to say more privately, “Do you know how many gay dudes I hang out with? You’re not special babe.”  
  
“Rude. I’m special.” Gavin pouted.  
  
“Uh huh.” Geoff mumbled and finished off his soda.  
  
Gavin pouted for a bit more in silence before finally saying, “So. Giving or receiving?”  
  
“Alright,” Geoff let out, stretching a bit before hopping off the barstool, “I think I’ve humored you enough.”  
  
“Geoffrey!” Gavin called after him, “It’s the most important question! I’ll never ask anything again!”  
  
“Have fun getting fucked by pissy trash guy!” Geoff responded vaguely, waving over his shoulder before disappearing out the exit.  
  
“That was his roommate!” Gavin yelled in the direction of the door, but of course it was too late and Geoff had already gone.  
  
As Geoff made the walk back to his apartment, having missed the last bus by a longshot, he felt the weight of his tired half-lies sitting on his shoulders. He knew he wasn’t really lying to anybody- just not exactly telling the truth. He tried to let it roll off his shoulders by remembering that in the long run, it didn’t matter. It had nothing to do with his deal with Ryan, the deal just happened to shine a light on something Geoff had managed to keep cozy in the dark.  
  
Even with the light on, no one was really going to look in his direction anyway. If anyone knew how to evade attention it was Geoff, and fuck if he was gonna let some dumb deal put him in center stage. He belonged in the crowd, dancing with his eyes closed just like he always did.  
  
The only problem with dancing with your eyes closed, Geoff had found, is that you can never know if people are watching. It could be either comforting or off-putting, but Geoff knew that it didn’t matter if he danced with his eyes open or closed, those who wanted to watch would find a way to watch if they really wanted to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yooooooooooo i almost forgot to fuckin uhh post because i had a final today hahaha kill me  
> Hope you guys liked this one!  
> Chapter 4 should be up next Monday!
> 
> As always, leave kudos if you liked it, and let me know what you think in the comments! ♥


	4. Chapter 4

Michael blinked blearily at the TV, sat cross-legged on the couch beside Ray. It was Friday morning, and Friday morning meant no classes, so Michael was letting Ray flip through the channels while he tried to wake himself up enough to get something to eat from the kitchen. He had woken up pretty late, a little past noon, but he didn’t do it often so he wasn’t gonna feel bad about it. At least he had beaten Jeremy, who was still in his room and it was getting closer and closer to dinner time.  
  
“What did you eat for lunch?” Michael asked Ray, clearing his throat a bit.  
  
“Sandwich.” Ray mumbled without looking at Michael, and Michael nodded to himself.  
  
“Is there still sandwich stuff?” Michael asked.  
  
“Mhm.” Ray hummed, putting the remote down as he decided on Scooby Doo of all things. Michael sighed, got up, and made his way toward the kitchen.  
  
He was only a few seconds shy of reaching the kitchen before a hand came out of the hallway and yanked him into Jeremy’s room. He stumbled in as Jeremy shut the door and just looked at him. Jeremy was wide-eyed, and though there was nothing obvious that gave it away beyond that, Michael could practically feel the nerves buzzing off of him. There were clothes all over the floor and bed, and after a second of Jeremy’s eyes flitting over Michael, the computer let off a little notification sound that made Jeremy jump.  
  
“Whatever it is, no.” Michael said, reaching for the doorknob.  
  
“You- you don’t even know what it is yet!” Jeremy shouted, holding the door closed with one hand.  
  
“You’re acting cagey, dude. Last time you were like this you told me you’re the one who tagged the math building,” Michael said with a chuckle.  
  
“I didn’t think it through,” Jeremy mumbled half to himself, relaxing slightly at the distraction.  
  
“Clearly.” Michael responded.  
  
Jeremy shook his head as if to clear it, “This isn’t like that though. I need a favor.”  
  
“Again, no.” Michael said with a shrug, and Jeremy frowned.  
  
“I’ll pay you.” he said after a moment, and Michael looked at him in surprise. If any single item spoke to Michael, it was money, and he’d listen to it all day.  
  
“Alright, I’m listening.” Michael said, sitting on Jeremy’s bed and waiting for him to tell him the story. There was always a story. Math professor wouldn’t curve his grade, so Jeremy spray-painted the math building. Jeremy found out how to make stink bomb, and had one go off in his backpack- but he _swears_ it was an accident. During a pep rally. Sitting one row in front of his ex. But still, they were always good stories, so Michael never turned down an opportunity to listen.  
  
“I’m supposed to go on a date with a guy I met online. Tonight.” Jeremy started, and Michael grimaced and made to stand up.  
  
“Never mind.” Michael said, wincing.  
  
“Dude!” Jeremy yelled, looking betrayed.  
  
“God, what- what?” Michael whined, sitting back down, “What do you need me to do? Come in and pretend to be your boyfriend?”  
  
“No, I’m just.” Jeremy shrugged, “I’m too nervous, I can’t go through with it.”  
  
“So tell him no.” Michael said, gesturing vaguely as if to say it was obvious.  
  
“But he’s really _nice_ and _cool._ I want to go, I just like. Can’t physically make myself do it.” Jeremy sighed, a hand running through his hair.  
  
“What does that have to do with me?” Michael said after a second.  
  
Jeremy scrunched up his face, “Go on the date for me?”  
  
“What?” Michael asked, laughing a bit.  
  
“Please!” Jeremy rushed out, grabbing Michael’s arm.  
  
“Jeremy-,” Michael started, but Jeremy interrupted.  
  
“Just a few dates, and then-,” Jeremy stuttered, unsure of how to continue.  
  
_“A few?”_ Michael asked, eyebrows raising in surprise.  
  
“I can pay, you know I can.” Jeremy countered, beginning to pace in front of Michael.  
  
Michael sighed and laid back on Jeremy’s bed, shifting around the mess of clothes on it. He didn’t know how _he_ always got dragged into this weird shit, and not anyone else. Other people he talked to didn’t seem to get pulled into situations like breaking into the school security system to get rid of evidence that Jeremy had anything to do with the graffiti on the math building. Allegedly.  
  
“Why don’t you ask Ray?” Michael said, sitting up on his elbows, “He’s desperate and single.”  
  
“He’s busy tonight.” Jeremy responded, and Michael nodded to himself, remembering talk of some british guy coming over.  
  
“Lucky me.” Michael said.  
  
Jeremy took a breath and after a moment said, “Fifty bucks a date.”  
  
“Holy shit, you’re not fucking around.” Michael replied, sitting up fully.  
  
“I don’t want him to think I stood him up,” Jeremy said, looking at Michael sadly, “and if you just go on a few dates, then I can maybe run into him like ‘randomly’ and-,”  
  
“You realize this is insane, right?” Michael interrupted, and Jeremy just shrugged dejectedly. Michael couldn’t believe himself. Jeremy had those sad eyes and that fucking pout and he was gonna fall for it- again. It was laughable at best, pathetic at worst.  
  
Michael sighed, “But… I’ll take your money. You’re gonna have to figure out the rest, and if I can’t really stand the guy I’m not going on more than, like, two dates.”  
  
“Oh Michael!” Jeremy hugged him, squeezing the god damn air out of his lungs, “You’re a fucking lifesaver dude, I owe you.”  
  
“Yeah, you owe me! Fifty bucks, pay up.” Michael laughed out, and Jeremy pulled away from the hug with a chuckle.  
  
**  
  
Geoff looked into the mirror with a thinly veiled irritation. He fussed with his hair again, running his fingers through it hoping to get somewhere between _I care_ and _I don’t care,_ but probably only succeeding in landing right smack on _I’m not Ryan Haywood._ It was giving him more of a complex than he already had and he plainly blamed Ryan for looking like a pristinely sculpted statue of a Greek god, meanwhile Geoff was half willing to give the all the money back and sleep until he forgot what he looked like.  
  
He ran his fingers through his hair once more, hopelessly, and with one last glance at the mirror, he finally decided he looked good. Tired, messy, but good. He could shave, but the stubble looked fine, and if he shaved he’d look about five years younger, which wasn’t necessarily something he wanted to do. So he was ready, in like a totally casual, doing-this-as-a-favor-to-my-very-rich-friend kind of way.  
  
About three hours early.  
  
Geoff sat on his bed just as Ryan burst through the bedroom door, making Geoff yell out in surprise.  
  
_“Jesus christ!_ Why are we roommates?” Geoff groaned, leaning further back on his bed as Ryan let out a low laugh.  
  
“Good question. I guess you just love me too much to get rid of me,” Ryan said, and Geoff barely heard him because he was suddenly distracted by Ryan’s lack of clothing.  
  
Geoff frowned and tossed his pillow at Ryan, who caught it deftly, “You know what else I would love? If you would put a fucking shirt on.”  
  
“You’re in a mood today.” Ryan frowned, lifting one of Geoff’s holey shirts off the ground and slipping it on. Geoff grimaced at his shirt on Ryan’s body- another visual he didn’t need- and scooted to make room for him to sit on the bed.  
  
“I’m going on a fake date for pay today.” Geoff mumbled as Ryan settled in beside him, “Oh my god. I’m an escort. Am I an escort?”  
  
Ryan considered the question for a second, “I suppose you could be.”  
  
Geoff grinned, “I’m an escort. This is the best job I’ve ever fucking had.”  
  
“You’re an escort right up until you sleep with him, which you already said you wouldn’t.” Ryan laughed to himself, “But I recommend you do anyway.”  
  
“Shut up.” Geoff said, shoving at Ryan’s shoulder playfully.  
  
“Don’t knock it till you try it.” Ryan responded with a smirk, and Geoff let out a nervous giggle.  
  
They sat in silence for a bit, Geoff staring wordlessly at the ceiling while trying not to shake out of his bones from nervousness. It wasn’t just about the whole weird feeling of not quite being a liar nor an honest person, but also because he was afraid of the kind of situation where he could be set up for rejection. The guy could show up after having talked to Ryan and vested all this interest, see Geoff and decide that it wasn’t worth it. It was as exhilarating as it was horrifying.  
  
“Geoff.” Ryan said, breaking the silence.  
  
“Hm?” Geoff said distractedly, turning to face Ryan when he didn’t continue.  
  
“You don’t have to.” Ryan said, and Geoff looked away again, “I know I kinda cornered you with the money and everything-,”  
  
Geoff let out a small laugh, “Nah, it’s-,”  
  
“I don’t want you to feel like you’re being forced into this.” Ryan interrupted.  
  
Geoff took a breath then said, “Hate to say it but, that’s not what’s putting me on edge, Rye.”  
  
“Then what is it?” Ryan asked, almost leaning in as he did. Geoff made a face and inched away, because he hadn’t even wanted to think about it, let alone talk it through with Ryan. They’re friends, but Geoff wasn’t about to spill his guts, at least not easily.  
  
“Uh- it’s stupid, it’s stupid,” he mumbled, his weak attempt at getting Ryan to drop it.  
  
“So, it’s stupid. Tell me anyway.” Ryan shrugged, and Geoff was almost annoyed by the kindness in his voice.  
  
“I mean. Just- what if-,” Geoff sighed, and continued, “He probably won’t like me.”  
  
Ryan shifted where he was sitting, opening his mouth to say something, but saying nothing.  
  
Geoff picked at a loose thread in his sheets, “See, it’s fucking stupid-,”  
  
“It’s only stupid because you think you’re unlikable,” Ryan said, and Geoff nearly rolled his eyes, “I don’t know where you get these ideas, Geoff- what, where are you going?”  
  
Geoff had gotten to his feet as Ryan spoke, and made it to the door, “I’m gonna call Jack.”  
  
“I was in the middle of my sentence, can’t it wait?” Ryan replied, his face a cross between amused and annoyed.  
  
“Uhh, I’ve heard a lot of your speeches telling me about self-worth and yadda yadda,” Geoff said, and it was true, “you can keep talking if you want, but I’m bored.”  
  
Geoff walked out of the room, smirking to himself when Ryan called out, “You’re an ass!”  
  
“I’m on the phone!” Geoff yelled, voice cracking as Ryan followed him to the kitchen.  
  
Yeah, maybe he was an ass, but maybe Ryan kind of rehashed the same advice over the years and all Geoff really needed was a refresher. Plus, he was distractible and while Ryan was talking, Geoff was trying to come up with some way to expend all this extra energy that the nervousness was putting in him. So, he needed to do something. Something impulsive.  
  
“Why are you calling Jack?” Ryan asked in a quieter voice, listening to the low ringing on the line.  
  
Geoff held up one finger as the receiver was picked up on the other end, “Hey Jack? Wanna come over and pierce my ear?”  
  
“What?” Ryan said, voice no longer quiet.  
  
_“What?”_ Jack repeated on the line, and Geoff turned with the phone in hand, twirling the cord around his fingers.  
  
“Just- uh, just come over.” Geoff said, offering Ryan a sheepish smile and continuing on the phone, “You have steady hands right? Forget it, just come over.”  
  
“Um… okay.” Jack said, and Geoff nodded even though Jack wouldn’t be able to tell he was nodding from the call.  
  
Geoff, having realized this, said, “Alright I’ll see you in ten.”  
  
Ten minutes and a search for ice cubes later, they were in business. Geoff came back from the bathroom with two dots on his left ear, made in pen.  
  
“Two?” Jack asked with a raised brow, and Geoff shrugged.  
  
“Yeah, why not. There’s two needles.” he said, and sat himself on the one of two chairs they had for the dining table. He took one of the ice cubes in the bowl and popped it in his mouth, then took another and pressed it to his earlobe while Ryan watched on.  
  
Ryan crossed his arms as Jack disinfected the needle, “This is… stupid.”  
  
“I bet it’ll look cool.” Geoff said, chewing on the ice cube until the fragments melted.  
  
“I bet it’ll be bloody,” Jack said bluntly, and placed the needles next to the apple slices and ice cubes. Geoff looked at the items lined up neatly and grinned, to which both Jack and Ryan scoffed and rolled their eyes.  
  
“We’re enablers,” Jack said to Ryan.  
  
Ryan put his hands up, “I didn’t enable anything! You’re the one that’s piercing his ear.”  
  
“If I don’t do it, he’s gonna do it himself and fuck it up.” Jack said, and Geoff chuckled amusedly.  
  
“Yeah I will.” Geoff tacked on, and Ryan sighed.  
  
“I warned you.” Ryan said as Jack approached Geoff with the needle and apple slice.  
  
“Whatever major loser,” Geoff said in his best impression of a teenage girl, and Ryan flipped him off. Geoff just grinned, and Ryan shook his head, then seemed to think of something suddenly, and zipped out of sight to see to it.  
  
“Alright Geoff, last chance to back out,” Jack said, holding the needle up menacingly. Geoff shrugged and looked like an excited puppy, which only served to make Jack laugh.  
  
“Okay, on the count of three, move the ice,” Jack said, and Geoff nodded, “One, two, three!”  
  
Geoff moved the ice cube, and Jack moved in quick. Geoff was calm, right up until the needle went through, and then he felt a sharp and excruciating pain, red hot.  
  
_“OW!_ Oh _SHIT!”_ Geoff yelled, and was vaguely aware of Ryan’s low laughter and the unmistakable shutter sound of a camera. He whined and stomped his foot as Jack pulled it through, and yeah this was a bad idea, this is a sewing needle in his ear, this was burning pain and a lot of blood, this is a pair of earrings he had in a drawer and never used.  
  
It was perfect.  
  
“One more,” Jack said after he put the earring in, and Geoff braced himself.  
  
It wasn’t as bad but, somehow still just as bad, and Geoff briefly wondered if it felt different only in that he had an expectation the second time around. Then Jack pulled it through and Geoff could feel his face heating, and blood dripping down his neck, and yeah this sucked.  
  
“FUCK!” Geoff yelped, but it was over, it was done and rubbing alcohol wasn’t so bad if you weren’t expecting it, and well. All of Geoff’s nervous energy seemed to have dissipated.  
  
“Well, I hope it was worth it,” Ryan said, and Geoff didn’t even bother to open his eyes to flip Ryan off, but again heard the shutter sound, saw the flash from behind his eyelids.  
  
“Are you memorializing this?” Geoff asked, finally opening his eyes. Ryan was shaking the polaroids with a smile plastered on his face.  
  
“Maybe.” Ryan said, and Geoff smiled back.  
  
“Sick.”  
  
Jack chuckled from the kitchen sink where he was washing his hands of Geoff’s blood, and rinsing off the needles. Geoff watched Ryan’s pictures develop and got entirely too pumped by how badass he looked flipping Ryan off with blood dripping down to his t-shirt.  
  
The clock seemed to tick by faster from then, and Geoff almost didn’t notice when it was only a little while until he had to go meet Ryan’s mystery East coaster.  
  
“Where did you even get sewing needles?” Jack asked, almost an afterthought as Geoff cleaned the last remnants of blood off of himself and changed into a t-shirt that wasn’t covered in blood.  
  
“Oh I uh got them from my friend, Nunya,” Geoff said, pulling his jacket on haphazardly.  
  
“Nunya?” Jack asked.  
  
“Yeah, nunya business.” Geoff replied with a shit-eating grin.  
  
Jack let out a sigh that turned into a laugh and turned around to face the TV, “Have a great time on the date Geoff, I’m sure he’ll love you.”  
  
Geoff wasn’t so sure, but he appreciated the sentiment.  
  
**  
  
Jeremy pressed the crisp bills into Michael’s hand and he was immediately sure this was a fucking bad idea.  
  
“Did I already mention that this is stupid and isn’t gonna work?” Michael said, pocketing the bills nonetheless, feeling lighter with a heavier pocket.  
  
“Yes, and it’s gonna work.” Jeremy said bluntly, settling into his desk chair.  
  
“It’s insane, this guy has been talking to _you_ for the past- what, like week?” Michael asked, and Jeremy nodded without turning from his computer, “He’s gonna see right through this, dude, and it’s gonna be… super embarrassing for everyone involved.”  
  
“You and I are practically the same person, Michael, I _doubt_ he’ll notice.” Jeremy said, turning to face him now.  
  
“Lil J, please, we’re like fundamentally different.” Michael said, trying to think of things he should avoid talking about, “Does he know you’re a liberal arts major?”  
  
Jeremy blushed, “Yeah.”  
  
“We’re fucked.” Michael said, chuckling to himself. Michael admired Jeremy’s art skills, had listened to him talk about artsy shit over the years, but Michael hadn’t exactly picked anything up during the time. He skipped art class through most of high school, and what he did show up for was fucking around with paint or clay and getting kicked out of class for it. Didn’t make for a very good Jeremy duplicate, really.  
  
“Shut up, he’s not gonna ask you about art, he does… computer shit.” Jeremy said, gesturing vaguely to the setup he had on his desk. Brag about it.  
  
“Computer shit? We’re more fucked, I don’t know dick about computers.” Michael said, shrugging with an innocent look on his face. He was just trying to rile Jeremy up at this point, he had already accepted the money and was gonna go through with it. It was just fun to see Jeremy get nervous.  
  
“Just stay calm. This isn’t a job interview.” Jeremy said, sounding more like he was talking to himself than to Michael.  
  
“Hey, I’m calm. Because I’ve accepted my fate.” Michael said, turning to grin at Jeremy who frowned.  
  
“Christ, just promise me you’ll get through the night in one piece.” Jeremy said, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes briefly.  
  
“I’ll promise you that I’m gonna try and get another date because I want to steal more of your money.” Michael said cheekily, smiling.  
  
“I’ll take it.” Jeremy said, putting his hands up in a surrendering motion.  
  
Michael let out a laugh, rubbed the palms of his hands on his jeans from where they were getting sweaty. Michael didn’t _do_ nervousness, even when his body betrayed him with sweaty palms, fidgeting feet, and everything that came with it. It wasn’t like he was particularly anxious about going out on a date with a stranger that Jeremy met online, it was more about not having any time to acclimate to the fact that he was gonna do it. Maybe if Jeremy had told him yesterday he would’ve gotten over it in time, but with only a few hours’ notice? That’s a hard no.  
  
So Michael was a little nervous. Michael grit his teeth a bit as his stomach swooped at the thought of going on date, whatever, it would add to the authenticity.  
  
“What time am I leaving again?” Michael asked, clearing his throat.  
  
“Um, fuck, in like. Like you should be getting ready right now.” Jeremy said, standing suddenly as he glanced at the clock.  
  
Michael glanced down at himself, “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”  
  
“Michael please, now isn’t the time for jokes.” Jeremy said, walking out the door and leading them to Michael’s room.  
  
“Dude, what I’m wearing right now is a hundred percent of my wardrobe.” Michael said while Jeremy rifled through his closet, “You don’t really have a choice here.”  
  
“I should’ve thought of this earlier, I could’ve-,” Jeremy said, and Michael stopped him before he could go on.  
  
“You ‘could’ve’ nothing dude, I’m not about to let you _Can’t Buy Me Love_ me, that’s out of the question.” Michael said pointedly, crossing his arms in defiance.  
  
“What?” Jeremy asked, bewildered.  
  
“Can’t Buy Me Love? Patrick Dempsey goes from geek to chic in a ninety-minute classic? Ringing any bells?” Michael asked, nearly laughing when Jeremy just shrugged in genuine confusion.  
  
“You need to get out more.” Michael said, running a hand through his hair idly.  
  
“You need better clothes.” Jeremy responded.  
  
“Hey fuck you, your clothes are no better.” Michael shot back, and then Jeremy raised his eyebrows.  
  
“Wait.” Jeremy said, stalking back to his room.  
  
“No.” Michael responded, chasing after him, “No, no, no, whatever it is no!”  
  
Jeremy was already looking through his drawers when Michael walked in after him, “So I don’t know if you heard me a second ago- but no. If it’s not a t-shirt and jeans I’m not fucking wearing it.”  
  
“Why are you so attached to your garbage clothes? You just look like a slacker,” Jeremy said, pulling item after item of clothing out of his dresser.  
  
“Newsflash asshole, I _am_ a slacker.” Michael said, annoyed that it wasn’t obvious. Jeremy had known him for long enough, he should’ve known better by now.  
  
“Yeah, well you don’t have to look like one. Here try this.” Jeremy said, tossing him a shirt.  
  
Michael groaned and slipped his oversized t-shirt over his head, then pulled on the more fitted long-sleeved henley on, and looked at himself in the mirror while Jeremy kept looking through his dresser. The thing clearly wasn’t Jeremy’s, seeing how it wasn’t stretched from how fucking jacked he is, and the thought made Michael cringe at the idea that it probably belonged to an ex. It was a darker shade of gray, and it wasn’t awful.  
  
“I hate it.” Michael said, and Jeremy turned to look at him.  
  
“Oh that’s good. You can keep that, it’s nice on you.” Jeremy said, smiling while Michael grimaced on principle. Jeremy’s mouth twitched and he went to touch Michael’s hair.  
  
“Now if I could just-,” Jeremy said, and Michael caught his hand before he could touch a curl.  
  
“Don’t. My hair is annoying enough as it is, and you don’t know what you’re doing and you’re gonna fuck it up even more.” Michael said, and Jeremy pulled his arm back.  
  
“Why don’t you just get a haircut?” Jeremy asked.  
  
“Because I like it better long, are we done?” Michael said, and Jeremy tapped his foot and looked him over.  
  
“Yeah.” Jeremy said, “Don’t wear your glasses.” Jeremy added on as Michael relaxed his shoulders.  
  
“No yeah, of course, I love being blind.” Michael responded, fiddling with the hem of the shirt.  
  
Jeremy plucked the glasses off his face for good measure, and Michael really hoped that he wasn’t gonna have to throw darts or something stupid like that. He looked in the mirror, and nodded at the blurry figure of himself in front of him.  
  
“Wow I look beautiful.” Michael deadpanned, and he could practically feel Jeremy’s grin beside him.  
  
“Yeah?” he asked.  
  
“No you fucking moron I can’t see. Are you dropping me off or what?” Michael asked, and Jeremy handed him a coat.  
  
“Yeah. Put that on, it’s chilly out.” Jeremy said, and without a second glance, they took off.  
  
**  
  
“Y’know what- never mind, fuck this,” Geoff said, grabbing for the handle to open the passenger side door. Ryan reached over and pulled it shut, and Geoff sighed and banged his head against the headrest a few times.  
  
“See, this is why I said I’d drive you.” Ryan said easily, flipping through a magazine he had tossed in his car from weeks before.  
  
Geoff pulled down the visor and looked into the shitty mirror as he dabbed at the blood from his ear with the sleeve of his jacket. Anxiety was back with a vengeance.  
  
“He’s gonna ask why I’m not drinking,” Geoff said breathily, still staring in the mirror as if it would help.  
  
“He would have to ask me the same question.” Ryan responded.  
  
“What would you say?” Geoff said, turning to Ryan now.  
  
“Never liked the taste.” Ryan said, shrugging and Geoff scoffed.  
  
“That would be such a lie coming from me. I’ll figure something out,” Geoff said, half to himself.  
  
“Okay,” Ryan said, putting the magazine down and glancing at the clock radio, “you should go in now. Wait at the bar. Have a good time.”  
  
“I should’ve asked for more money.” Geoff mumbled as he opened the passenger door.  
  
“Yeah, you should’ve,” Ryan grinned from the driver’s seat one last time, and then took off.  
  
Geoff idly considered how long he’d have to wait at the bus stop if he ran for it right now. He glanced at the door to White Horse, no line because it’s a shitty college bar with too many drunk undergrads and not enough actual people with actual interests. Geoff held back his frown of vague disgust as he walked through the entrance to the blast of a pop song he’d had the honor of never fucking hearing before in his life. He sat at the bar and could feel the tension of people around him as he did. Right, he had forgotten how uncomfortable average people got around punks, and he wasn’t even particularly playing to that tonight. He supposed it was the leather jacket, painstakingly covered in hand-sewn patches that not even Jack knew Geoff had made himself. But if he took off the jacket then there’d be the tattoos, and well. They’d just have to deal.  
  
For now, Geoff asked the bartender for a jack and coke- hold the jack- and considered how long he’d allow himself to enjoy _“my loneliness is killing me, and I- I must confess-,”_ before deciding that east coaster wasn’t gonna show.  
  
Geoff refrained from nodding along to the song on principle, and knew he probably wouldn’t have to wait very long anyway. Maybe long enough to find out who sings the song. Or what it’s called. Not that he cared.  
  
But he’d wait, and he’d stop being dramatic just as soon as he finished the coke. Any minute now.  
  
“Hey, uh, blue eyes?” a voice asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _hahaha_ it wasn't supposed to take this many chapters for this to happen but... well.
> 
> I hope you guys liked this one! I'm really excited to post the next chapter, and I might???? post it early???  
> because a) next monday is a holiday and b) i'm like **really psyched** to post the next chapter
> 
> Well! Leave kudos if you liked it, or let me know what you think in the comments! Chapter 5 might go up on Friday!


	5. Chapter 5

“Hey, uh, blue eyes?” a voice asked.  
  
Geoff turned, a sudden tremor threatening to roll through him as he did, but he held it back. Behind him stood a young guy, all copper curls and deep brown eyes looking at him hesitantly, but the rest of his face was stock-still. His presence was on the cusp of confidence coming off as indifference, or maybe even defiance. Geoff wanted to drink it in, he wasn’t sure if this kid wanted to fight or sleep, but god, he was kind of beautiful.  
  
Geoff was kind of staring wordlessly, blinking to life like an idle computer when the guy kind of glanced away with an odd smirk.  
  
“Oh uh, yeah sorry. Uh- east coaster?” Geoff said in response, tilting his head to the side as if it could be anyone else. Like anyone else with warm eyes and pale freckles could walk up and call him blue eyes. Geoff dashed the train of thought, just waited for him to meet his eyes again. The guy kind of chuckled, and nodded with a pleased kind of smile.  
  
He pointed at the empty barstool beside him in question, and Geoff nodded, wanting to hear his voice again and waiting for words to drip from the slant of his mouth. He took off his jacket and put it on the back of the seat before sitting down, Geoff’s eyes tracking his movements.  
  
“At least you didn’t lie about the blue eyes thing. That would’ve been fucked up,” the guy said, and Geoff laughed, couldn’t help it.  
  
“Yeah- and I assume you didn’t lie about the east coast thing,” Geoff chuckled out, and the guy nodded as he called the bartender over.  
  
“Oh yeah, New Jersey born and raised, baby,” he said, and then ordered a beer. Geoff shouldn’t have had to take a breath when he said baby, but how could he not?  
  
“No shit? I actually, uh, lived in Jersey for a while there,” Geoff said, scratching the back of his neck idly as he did.  
  
The guy raised his beer, “I’ll drink to that,” he said, and Geoff was glad he wasn’t a blusher. Their drinks clinked together and Geoff sipped his coke gratefully, was glad he asked for it in a glass.  
  
“Uh, so- I’m Geoff.” Geoff said, stopping himself from saying something stupid, like tacking on his last name, or somehow trying to shake his hand.  
  
“Geoff,” he said, like his mouth was trying the word out for the first time, “I’m Michael.”  
  
Michael.  
  
“Michael. Well, it’s uh, nice to meet you in person, Michael.” Geoff said, and he made a conscious effort to not overdo it with the name but he wasn’t sure it was working.  
  
“You too Geoff. Also you’re bleeding, I don’t know if you knew that.” Michael said, pointing at his own ear and handing Geoff a napkin.  
  
Geoff’s face could have yikes spelled out across his forehead when he took the napkin, dabbing at his ear gently, “Thanks, uh,”  
  
“Fresh piercing,” Michael said, and it wasn’t a question. He sipped his beer with a raised brow.  
  
“Too fresh. It probably could’ve waited, considering-,”  
  
“No, I like it.” Michael interrupted, and Geoff could only smile sheepishly. It wasn’t something he did often, the sheepish half-smile, but he was endlessly endeared by Michael’s specific brand of forwardness.  
  
“Not to use the oldest fucking line ever but,” Michael glanced around the place in amusement and then his eyes rolled over Geoff, making him almost curl in on himself, “Do you come here often?”  
  
Geoff let out a dry laugh, “Uh, no actually. First time.”  
  
“Doesn’t seem like your kinda place, no offense,” Michael said, his mouth playing at a smile as his eyes roved over the leather jacket and the state of Geoff’s hair.  
  
“It- uh, I’ll uh- tell ya something, I definitely wouldn’t have picked this place out of a lineup,” Geoff said, stumbling over his words and finding he wasn’t entirely sure what he meant. But it got the point across.  
  
“But you did. Pick the place.” Michael said.  
  
Geoff’s eyes widened slightly and he opened his mouth a second earlier than he was ready to speak before he said, “It was uh- a recommendation from a friend.”  
  
Michael nodded and glanced around again, before turning back to Geoff. He just kind of looked at Geoff, like there was a question at the base of his throat, one that he didn’t know how to ask. Geoff felt that maybe it was something about the tattoos that covered his hands and trailed beneath his sleeves, or the last-minute piercing, or what kind of friend recommends _this bar_ for a date. Geoff didn’t supply any answers though, just kind of eyed Michael right back while he tried to figure out how to make this more than a stilted conversation at a shitty bar.  
  
“You hungry?” Geoff said suddenly, almost surprised at his own question. He was kind of hungry, hadn’t really eaten all day, but wasn’t particularly interested in ordering shitty bar food either.  
  
“I- I could eat,” Michael said casually, leaning back a bit.  
  
“Cool,” Geoff said, and tossed back the rest of his coke, “Let’s go.”  
  
Michael shook his head in amused confusion and took a last long drink from his beer, and Geoff cut himself off from staring at the pale column of Michael’s throat after two entire seconds. There was something to be said about willpower, but Geoff swallowed it back and hopped off his seat as Michael finished his drink and followed him out of the bar without hesitation.  
  
They walked out of the bar and into the wall of chilled air mixed with the blue night. The sun always went down so early in fall, had been gone from the sky for a while even before they had arrived at the bar. It was something of Geoff’s element, the shadows between the orange lights meant to light the streets. The cold, not so much, but the feeling it gave him was somewhat familiar, and wasn’t something he was used to sharing with someone new.  
  
“Where’re we going?” Michael asked, and Geoff could sense he was a lightweight. The beer had Michael on the brink of tipsy, maybe buzzed, and Geoff wasn’t anywhere near interested in getting him drunk. Bar dates were shitty first dates.  
  
“This way,” Geoff said vaguely, not really having any place in mind but knowing the street he wanted to get to.  
  
They turned a corner, and Geoff was kind of really enjoying the walk. Michael would sometimes be walking slightly ahead, or slightly behind, but it was the motion of it, the calm. They didn’t talk, just spared each other these quiet glances, and Geoff couldn’t help smiling about it. He wasn’t much of a smiler, but Michael probably didn’t think so, and likely wouldn’t think so by the end of the night. Michael returned his smiles when he caught them, but they were always accompanied by this kind of strange amusement, like he couldn’t tell what Geoff was smiling about and wanted in on the joke. He would let out a huff of breath through his nose, visible in the cold night air, and it was as pleasant as it was consistent.  
  
It was maybe a ten-minute walk, and they got around to this little drive-in place that Geoff frequented because it had really greasy food that he loved anywhere between 1am and 4am. Granted, it used to be his favorite drunk food place, but it served just as well as a late-night food grab. And the sun was long gone even if it wasn’t past ten, so this was basically the same thing.  
  
Geoff walked over to the service station that was meant for people without cars, and leaned against the wall next to it to light up a cigarette.  
  
“Oh- shit, d’you mind?” Geoff said, gesturing to the cigarette, and Michael shrugged as he looked over the menu.  
  
“Only if you’re not sharing,” Michael replied, turning to Geoff and grinning.  
  
Geoff graciously handed over the cigarette he had already lit, and pulled the last one from the pack out of his pocket. He vaguely wondered what he would’ve done if that had been his last cigarette, chases the thought away on the heels of a puff of smoke, and tries not to stare at the blur of smoke leaving Michael’s mouth.  
  
“What do you order here?” Michael asked, looking up at Geoff through his eyelashes.  
  
“Uh, depends. Corndogs, good, burgers, good, chili cheese fries, _good…”_ Geoff trailed off, glancing at the menu. He hadn’t actually looked at the menu in a while, always stumbling up and hitting the button and muttering either a memorized number or a garbled mash of words. They always got him what he wanted though.  
  
Michael nodded, licked his lips- Geoff begged his eyes not to track the movement- and said, “Order for me. Whatever you’re getting.”  
  
“Uh, sure,” Geoff said, squinting for a second and then hitting the button.  
  
“What can I get ya?” the voice crackled through the speakers.  
  
“Yeah, uh, two burgers all the way, and an order of chili cheese fries- large. Two cokes.” Geoff said, pausing as the guy got the order down.  
  
“We’ll get that right out to ya,” the voice said, and Geoff turned to Michael with a smile.  
  
By the time their orders came, Michael was visibly tense, and it was a whole few fucking minutes before Geoff understood what was happening.  
  
“Oh my god, your jacket!” Geoff said, sliding his shoulders out of his leather jacket as he did.  
  
“Yeah, I left it at- it’s fine really,” Michael said, even as his shivering hands failed to unwrap his burger.  
  
“Not fine, dude, totally un-fine,” Geoff said, glancing around vaguely before draping the jacket over Michael’s shoulders and rubbing his arms a bit to warm him up.  
  
Michael just chuckled, but slid his arms into the sleeves. Geoff bit his lip in how Michael was swimming in the thing, and how the dark leather made Michael’s skin practically glow under the neon lights of the drive-in from where they were sitting on the curb. Geoff loved the damn jacket, had invested a lot in it, and it was almost pissing him off how good it looked on Michael.  
  
He opened his mouth to say something to this affect to Michael, maybe, gestured to begin whatever he was going to say but instead Michael spoke.  
  
“What _the fuck.”_ Michael said, and grabbed Geoff’s arm to pull it close to his face.  
  
“Uh- hm?” Geoff responded, confused. He figured Michael had already seen the tattoos on his hands and probably wouldn’t give a shit if-  
  
“YOU!” Michael yelled, standing up so suddenly that Geoff flinched backwards, nearly spilling their food.  
  
“… me?” he replied in a small voice.  
  
“YOU’RE THE ASSHOLE WHO FUCKING- MY _COFFEE,_ I-,” Michael shouted, his face going a little red, and tripping over his words as Geoff tried to piece together what he was saying.  
  
“Oh my god.” Geoff said when he realized what Michael was talking about. The kid with the fucking coffee, what the fuck. What the fuck.  
  
“‘OH MY GOD’ IS RIGHT YOU- _YOU PRICK!”_ Michael yelled, voice cracking.  
  
“Michael, I am so- fuck, I’m sorry. I really wanted to stop and apologize, I’ll pay you back for the coffee, I just. Fuck, I’m an asshole, and-,” Geoff said, rambling on and on his apology and staring at the ground in embarrassment.  
  
There was a tense silence where Geoff was kind of staring at Michael’s well-worn Vans and nothing else, thinking vaguely about how hilariously pathetic it would be to go back home to Ryan barely an hour into the date, and all he could hear were these long, slow, tension-filled breaths. The kid was a god damn dynamite and Geoff didn’t know if he had the heart to take him in a fight, but if anyone was gonna beat the shit out of Geoff on the side of a road next to a plate of chili cheese fries, it was sure as hell gonna be Michael in this moment. Over coffee.  
  
Geoff had thought he had been doing so well for a minute there too.  
  
He kind of braced himself for the hit, expected it. Was the kind of guy that got smacked around at bars because drunk guys can’t stand seeing anyone who looked an ounce tougher than they did. He wouldn’t mind if Michael laid him out, almost felt like he deserved it, but Michael’s slow breathing melted into a slow humming laughter, and then Michael was sitting down next to Geoff again, swimming in his beloved jacket and curling over himself as the laughter became louder and uncontrollable.  
  
Geoff couldn’t help the hesitantly-amused smile that came over him as he watched Michael laugh it all out, clutching his gut as if it might stifle the sound.  
  
“God. Geoff. Geoffrey.” Michael wheezed out eventually, and Geoff shook himself out of his stupor.  
  
“Just- uh, just Geoff.” He breathed out after a second.  
  
“That was just like… a huge overreaction. You were like offering me your jacket and stuff and I’m… an asshole. _Jesus,”_ Michael let out a nervous chuckle, “Sorry. About that.” Michael let out almost forcefully, clearing his throat, hand reaching to clutch at Geoff’s shoulder. Geoff leaned away from the touch a bit with a strained smile, waited until Michael dropped the hand.  
  
“That’s okay, it was totally valid,” Geoff said, shrugging noncommittally.  
  
“It’s really nice of you to say that- it _wasn’t_ valid- but it’s nice of you to say.” Michael said, picking up his still-unwrapped burger from where it had fallen between them.  
  
“No, no, it was. To you, and that’s uh, that’s what matters at the end of the day,” Geoff said, and Michael smiled at him awkwardly as he continued, “I really am sorry.”  
  
“I appreciate that, because you don’t seem like you’re bullshitting me. I’ll take the food as repayment, though, so please don’t hand me any money.” Michael said, finally taking a bite of his burger and letting out a surprised hum at the taste.  
  
Geoff let himself smile genuinely at Michael’s ability to shift attentions so quickly, and took a bite of his own burger, nudged the fries between them to remind Michael that they were for both of them. The unease after that was almost palpable in the silence, and Geoff couldn’t help but feel responsible. He was running the gambit in his mind, thinking how many things had to happen for Geoff to be the one to ram into Michael on campus, for Geoff to meet him again on this fake-date. Or real date. Or fuck, just strange circumstances leading to stranger circumstances.  
  
Geoff glanced sideways at Michael, determined to break the tension if not to continue Ryan’s half-remembered quest, then for his own sanity, “How did you know?”  
  
“Hm?” Michael responded, mouth full.  
  
“At- at the bar, how did you know it was me?” Geoff asked, because if he was a pale twink with a temper from hell he probably wouldn’t go for- well, go for Geoff. He’d at least assume it was someone average-appearing, first and foremost.  
  
“Um,” Michael said, shifting slightly and swallowing his food, “I- I didn’t. I just guessed, sort of.” Michael gave a shrug, as if to say sorry that his answer wasn’t a more interesting one, and oh how Geoff wanted to tell him that just because it seemed uninteresting, that didn’t mean it wasn’t. There was no way to say that, or convey it in some sort of gesture- at least not on a first date.  
  
“Good at guessing?” Geoff asked, picking at the fries between them.  
  
“Could be. Never put a lot of thought into it,” Michael said as he finished off his burger.  
  
“Maybe that’s a sign of being a good guesser. I was never a good guesser,” Geoff said, sure that he sounded like an asshole. God, he was so bad at making conversation.  
  
“No?” Michael asked, a lilt to his voice that leaned toward amused.  
  
“I couldn’t have guessed how this date was gonna go,” Geoff said quietly, turning to Michael and meeting his gaze suddenly. Geoff leaned back, let an elbow fall back on the curb and his ass fall onto the pavement, stretching a bit. It wasn’t some sort of move to get attention, he just had back problems and couldn’t sit hunched over for long, but Michael’s eyes followed the long line of his legs, trailed back up again. Geoff was, again, glad he wasn’t one for blushing.  
  
“Me neither,” Michael said just as quietly, settling himself similarly to Geoff.  
  
Geoff felt the sting of remembering where he was, why he was there all at once, and it was as sobering as it was soul-crushing. Michael was picking at the last of the fries in what had become a comfortable silence, and Geoff hadn’t quite figured out what it was about him. There was something there, surely, but it didn’t have a name yet. Geoff ran his tongue idly over the back of his teeth and tried heavily not to drift from the situation, not to imagine a while from now where Michael would be. Across the living room of Geoff’s apartment from his room, likely, on Ryan’s unkempt sheets with glowing skin and dark honey eyes, closed.  
  
Not a big deal. Really.  
  
“C’mon.” Geoff said suddenly, gathering their trash and standing.  
  
“Where?” Michael said, but got up nonetheless, and Geoff wondered how often Michael depended on the kindness of strangers.  
  
“Dunno,” Geoff said, and started walking. Michael kept pace with him this time, their shoulders brushing as Geoff’s fingers itched for something, something. For a second their knuckles brushed between them, and Geoff’s fingers paused, but as quick as the touch was there, it was gone and Geoff’s fingers were at it again.  
  
Geoff’s eyes caught the light of a convenience store and made a beeline, knowing what would lend him a moment’s focus.  
  
“Seven-Eleven,” Michael said, and Geoff appreciated that it wasn’t with feigned enthusiasm or strange disappointment.  
  
“I could use some smokes- you could use some smokes?” Geoff asked, turning his answer into a question, and Michael nodded, and suddenly Geoff knew where they were going next. They wandered the store, Geoff grabbing the odd candy and a drink. They met up at the register, where Michael put down a cherry slush, an assortment of candy. Geoff kept his smile about their twin choices of candies to himself, filed it away in his mind, and paid for the lot plus two packs of cigarettes.  
  
They walked out and Geoff already had two cigarettes in his mouth, Michael laughed sweetly as Geoff lit them both at once, handed one off to Michael.  
  
“Where the hell are we going Geoff?” Michael chuckled out, voice tight from the pull of smoke, exhaling with the end of his sentence. Geoff let out a breath of smoke, watched it dissipate in the air as his feet took him with strong direction to his destination.  
  
“Somewhere. Sorry, that’s unnecessarily vague, I’m taking you to the movies. How- uh, against illegal activities are you?” Geoff tacked on, glancing at Michael who was squinting at him with a smirk.  
  
“I’m only against getting caught,” Michael said with a sense of finality, and Geoff nodded.  
  
A few minutes later, Geoff was walking around the back of the small theater that he could tell Michael didn’t recognize, and then he was hopping over the chain on a metal staircase leading to a door that went into the theater’s second floor. He turned and watched Michael get over the chain, and together with bags of candy and quiet giggles, they clambered up the stairs.  
  
“Geoff-,” Michael started when they got to the top, already walking toward the door, but he stopped himself when he saw Geoff had stopped to stare out over the horizon at the edge of the gated platform they had reached. Geoff heard Michael walk forward to stand beside him, staring out over the lights of the city.  
  
Geoff didn’t say anything, just breathed and let the moment wash over the idle anxiety he existed in tandem with. They stayed standing like that for a few minutes, and Geoff was sure that most people would have broken the silence earlier, said something. But the length of the silence was good, tempering, and Geoff wasn’t bothered when Michael eventually broke it.  
  
“How’s your sight?” Michael said, not looking at Geoff.  
  
“Like- my eyes? Uh, twenty-twenty. Probably.” Geoff said, unable to remember the last time he’d had the luxury of going to the optometrist. But things didn’t seem blurry, so that was probably a decent sign.  
  
“Hm,” Michael hummed in response, and Geoff wondered if he was filing things away.  
  
“Why d’you ask?” Geoff asked after a moment.  
  
“Mine’s not great.” Michael said plainly.  
  
“You need glasses?” Geoff said, and had images of Michael with different frames glancing the edges of his mind, a flood or a leak all at once.  
  
“Have ‘em.” Michael said.  
  
“I don’t- uh, I didn’t realize they made them invisible these days,” Geoff said with the tone of obliviousness, and Michael rolled his eyes with a laughing smile. Geoff was trying not to let it eat him alive.  
  
“My- my friend told me I shouldn’t wear them,” Michael said after the short laugh.  
  
“That’s fuckin’ stupid.” Geoff said, frown pulling at the corners of his mouth.  
  
“Yeah?” Michael asked, voice almost small, almost.  
  
“Yeah- what is it, like- like, for vanity? It’s garbage, if you need ‘em to see and you don’t mind wearing them, what’s the difference?” Geoff said.  
  
Michael nodded to himself and Geoff continued, “I mean whatever it is- you just like, do what feels right, don’t give a shit about people and what they say. Don’t wanna wear glasses? Don’t wear them. Wanna smoke? Smoke.”  
  
“Wanna wear a leather jacket, wear one?” Michael followed up, eyeing Geoff with a strange glint in his eye, and Geoff tried not to be taken aback by the addition.  
  
“Yeah man.” Geoff said, and ruffled Michael’s hair. Michael chuckled and pushed him off, and Geoff didn’t know what to make of it.  
  
Geoff eventually remembered why they were up there in the first place, and turned to look at the door. Michael glanced between him and the door, and Geoff pulled his keys out, rifled through them until he found the one.  
  
“I- I used to work here,” Geoff said in way of answering the lack of a question and Michael nodded under the thin façade of being impressed. Geoff shoved at his shoulder playfully, and Michael let out a giggle.  
  
Geoff got the door unlocked, could feel Michael get tense beside him when the door opened to reveal a man that Geoff knew too damn well. There were too many people who Geoff knew too well.  
  
“Hey Geoff,” Gus said, blinking in lieu of surprise, barely sparing Michael a glance. Geoff never knew how Gus managed to seem continually unimpressed, but he’d kill to get to the same level of it.  
  
“Gus,” Geoff said in greeting, “Get lost.”  
  
“Cool,” Gus said, leaving his seat and walking out the employee exit inside of the building.  
  
Geoff walked in with Michael following behind, closing the door and leaving them in darkness. Geoff sat up on the desk beside the projector so that Michael could have the chair. Geoff pretended not to notice Michael’s excited smile, bit his lip as he decided to try and figure out what movie it was.  
  
“Sci-fi,” Michael said after a minute or two, words mumbled around skittles, and Geoff nodded.  
  
“Aliens?” Geoff asked as he opened his own candy, and Michael hummed the affirmative.  
  
“It’s like… what was the one with the- the like, pod people?” Michael asked, and Geoff grinned, one of his favorites.  
  
“Invasion of the Body Snatchers.”  
  
“Yeah that’s the one.” Michael nodded, and then they watched in near-silence, because even though it was kind of a cheesy movie, it was entirely watchable. The only sound was the crackle of their bags of candy, muffled and easily ignored.  
  
Geoff couldn’t surreptitiously glance at Michael between scenes to gage his reaction, but did so anyway, until the charade was very much up, and he was gone for watching Michael and listening to the movie. Michael tossed a skittle at him when he eventually noticed, “What?” he said with a grin.  
  
Geoff shrugged and turned to look at the screen again, “Nothin’.”  
  
“Mhm,” Michael responded.  
  
They walked out of the theater in a shamble of laughs, and talks of funny scenes and good versus bad acting throughout the film. It was kind of late, and Geoff didn’t notice that Michael was leading the way until they came to a building that Geoff generally dodged. Not so much for a particular reason, but because he had no reason to be near it.  
  
“You live in the dorms?” Geoff asked, when they were brought to a stop by Michael. They were leaning against the wall on the side of the building, shrouded in shadow, out of sight from passersby.  
  
“Yeah,” Michael said sheepishly, glancing at the building and back at Geoff. He slipped off Geoff’s jacket and handed it over, continuing before Geoff could protest, “It’s fine, please, I’ll figure out how to get mine back-,”  
  
“I’ll get it for you,” Geoff said after he slipped his jacket back on, and Michael gave that bemused half-smile.  
  
“You gonna give it to me next time I see you?” Michael asked, something in his voice that Geoff could barely process because Michael was fiddling with Geoff’s sleeve and it took a lot of focus to hear what he was saying.  
  
“Yeah next- uh. Next time?” Geoff asked, felt stupid for letting his words be surprised ones instead of smooth, expectant.  
  
“Yeah, next time. After I spill your coffee so you can yell at me,” Michael laughed out, hands on the lapels of Geoff’s jacket now, “Then- then we’ll be even.”  
  
Geoff smiled wide at Michael’s laugh- rough and unapologetic- and let Michael’s hands trail up until they settled on his shoulders. His laughter quieted, and it was almost natural- _too_ natural, too _easy_ \- to lean down as Michael leaned up on his toes to meet for a kiss. Nothing fancy, but Michael’s lips were soft against Geoff’s, brushing against his like it meant something. Geoff’s hands found themselves on Michael’s waist, warm where Michael was cold, and damn it was a nice feeling to live in. Michael pulled away, flush high on his cheeks and cradling at the shells of his ears, and he let out a little giggle like he forgot what he was gonna say.  
  
“I’ll- um. I’ll call you?” Michael said, and Geoff nodded, let Michael slip out of his hands and rush inside, hugging himself against the cold.  
  
Geoff spun around when Michael was out of sight, tried to shake the feeling off of his body but it wouldn’t leave, no. It was fine, he still knew why he was doing this, he still knew how it would end. He said this to himself under his breath and grabbed for another cigarette, tried to still his hands as he lit the thing.  
  
He chose a direction and started walking, clenching his hands where they remembered the feeling of Michael’s waist against them. The feeling didn’t leave until much, much later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I posted this in the middle of the night, sue me
> 
> It was a fucking joy to write this chapter, i hope you guys like it!!!!!!!  
> Chapter 6 will go up next Friday!
> 
> As always, leave a kudos if you like this chapter, or let me know what you think in the comments! ♥


	6. Chapter 6

Michael closed the door behind him with a quiet click, rested against the cool, plasticky wood of it for a second. So, he had kissed Geoff. That was something he hadn't really thought about- not in the moment of it, nor in the process of accepting Jeremy's request. He could still feel the trace of Geoff's lips against his, buzzing, and it was nice. It was nice, but the guilt of it was burning hot coals at the dip of his collarbone, and he rubbed absently at his mouth. Was he allowed to enjoy this?  
  
He cursed Jeremy mentally for not setting any ground rules, and knew it was too late to ask for them now. Michael had opened the door with a kiss. Kissing only meant more kissing, and while that put a gilt in his stomach and burned at his cheeks, he didn't feel right about it. Michael weighed the possibilities in his mind- would Geoff have even considered a second date if Michael had turned away from the kiss? Rejection was a surefire way to cross out a second date, and Michael was supposed to see this through. No, it was the right thing to do. Geoff wouldn't bother sticking around if there wasn't a reason to.  
  
But what did that mean for next time? Michael would probably have to kiss him again- at _least_ once. And if Michael learned anything about Geoff tonight, he had learned that Geoff had no problem with indulging. Michael bit at his lip and groaned quietly, knocking his fist against the door. He wouldn't mind- and that was bothersome, that he wouldn't mind. This whole situation didn't leave a lot of room for Michael to get attached to Geoff- in any way whatsoever. He would have to compartmentalize.  
  
Michael closed his eyes and envisioned putting the date into a box, locking it and tucking it into a dark corner. That was the Geoff box. He would open it for the finite amount of dates he would have with Geoff, and lock it up once he walked through the threshold of his dorm. Then when this whole ordeal was over, he’d get really drunk and set the box on fire.  
  
This wasn't a solution, Michael knew that, but it would work for a while if he let himself believe it would. He would have to, if he ever wanted to look Jeremy in the eye again.  
  
“Michael?”  
  
Michael jolted against the door, felt almost like he had just woken up from a dream when he found Jeremy looking at him quizzically, ruffled hair and sleep-lines on his face letting Michael know that yeah, it was late.  
  
“Hey,” Michael whispered, stepping away from the door.  
  
“Did you just get in?” Jeremy asked, squinting over at the kitchen as if he could see the clock.  
  
Michael tried to control the blush that spread over his cheeks, “Uh, yeah. Just a second ago.” Michael gestured at the door uselessly and stared at the ground.  
  
“Well how'd it go?” Jeremy asked, sitting down on the couch and patting the space beside him.  
  
Michael sat in the spot, talking before he could digest his own words, “I dunno, it was okay? He seemed like I wasn't really what he was expecting,”  
  
Michael widened his eyes at his own words- why was he lying? He didn't need to lie, Jeremy _wanted_ the date to go well, Michael could see the vague disappointment already coloring his face. Michael’s mouth kept running though, and for the life of him his brain couldn’t catch the fuck up.  
  
“I'm not sure he really liked me- but it wasn't a bad date, I had a decent time,” Michael continued, blinking nervously.  
  
“Jeez. I'm sorry I made you do this Michael, you don't have to keep doing it. I don't know what I was thinking-,”  
  
“No, no, no,” Michael found himself saying, “I um- I wanna see this through for you. Also,” he let out a chuckle, “I could use the cash.”  
  
Jeremy didn't look too convinced, “You sure?”  
  
“Jeremy,” Michael said, falling into character easier now, “I don't half-ass anything. This guy is gonna be fucking _ripe_ for the picking when I'm done with him.”  
  
Jeremy smirked, “Oh really?”  
  
“Yeah dude, he's gonna be begging for a knight in shining armor- that's you,” Michael said, and his smile felt fake, but it was all he could muster.  
  
“Okay Michael,” Jeremy said, clapping a hand on Michael's back gratefully. Michael nodded and took that as his chance to leave, standing imperceptibly shakily and making his way toward his room.  
  
“Michael?” Jeremy said just before Michael could open the door to his room.  
  
“What's up?”  
  
“Is he cute?” Jeremy asked, cheeks pinkening, visible even in the dim light of the living room.  
  
Michael paused, so short that Jeremy didn't even notice, and his voice came dry, “Yeah. Yeah, he is.”  
  
Jeremy smiled one last time, and Michael shut himself into his room before Jeremy could follow up with anything else. This was fucked. Michael knew this, but he shoved it down and away as he stripped down and threw himself bodily onto his mattress. The clock let him know that it was a little after 1am, and he groaned internally. He closed his eyes with a determination to wake up at a decent time despite this, clearing any vestigial thoughts before letting his breath settle him into sleeping.  
  
He definitely didn't drift off just before picturing a set of blue eyes- and they could be anybody's eyes anyway. Really. They could be.  
  
**  
  
Geoff walked quickly through the threshold of his apartment building, Michael’s jacket tucked neatly over his arm as his hands went jittery, made loud by his keys. He squeezed the keys tighter in his hand and took a calming breath before making his way upstairs.  
  
It was late- it had already been late when he’d left Michael at the dorms, but then Geoff had gone back to the bar for Michael’s jacket, and well. He walked around for a bit. Maybe more than a bit. His pager had gone off several times, Ryan’s number flashing across the screen already seeming somehow aggressive. Geoff had tried to call, really, he’d stood in front of the payphone by the gas station for like twenty fucking minutes, but he didn’t know what he was calling to say. So he dropped it, and eventually the pager stopped going off, and Geoff decided that was a well-enough sign that he could go home.  
  
Retroactively, he realized he didn’t have a whole fucking lot to be worried about. Ryan had basically given him the go ahead to fuck Michael in the unisex bathroom of that shitty campus bar, so a kiss wasn’t some kind of line he had crossed. He _hadn’t_ given Geoff permission to get fluttery little butterflies- the fuckers- and that’s what had Geoff chain smoking the whole pack of cigarettes on a bench one block away from their apartment.  
  
He hadn’t smoked that much at once in over a year and it had made him sick- or maybe it was the anxiety, or maybe it was Michael, but fuck if it was anything that Geoff had any business getting sick over. After a while Geoff had decided that it was his indecision that was driving him up the wall. He had a few options- tell Ryan the deal was off, or that Michael didn’t show, or anything that would get Geoff out of it. Or, he could follow through, and let Ryan have Michael.  
  
Or- and this was the one that was eating at Geoff- he could steal Michael. Go on more dates than Ryan paid for, get so involved that Michael wouldn’t break up with him- and then tell Ryan he wasn’t gonna end it.  
  
Geoff had started making his way back home once he thought of that option. He was telling himself that he hadn’t made a decision yet, but as he turned the key to quietly let himself into his apartment, he knew that the last choice was killing him because he had already decided.  
  
“Check your pager much?”  
  
“FUCK!” Geoff yelled, dropping his keys as Ryan hopped off of the counter in the kitchen. Geoff sighed guiltily, bent to pick up his keys to buy him a few seconds, and quickly hid the jacket behind himself. He hadn’t thought Ryan would be up.  
  
“You waiting up on me now?” Geoff said in lieu of an answer and Ryan chuckled.  
  
“It’s two in the morning. For all I knew you were lying dead in an alley on dirty sixth,” Ryan responded, and Geoff tried not to wince. Ryan was worried that he’d sent him off to meet a murderer, and Geoff was scheming on how to steal his man.  
  
“Christ, if I ever die, make sure that it’s not on fucking sixth street,” Geoff breathed out.  
  
“I’ll keep that in mind when I’m disposing of your body,” Ryan said with a low chuckle, and Geoff really wished he would quit with the murder jokes, “So how’d it go? You gotta be this late for a reason.”  
  
Ryan made to sit on the couch and Geoff followed after him, and fuck he really should’ve thought this through more. Ryan was supposed to be sleeping.  
  
“It- uh, it was fine.” Geoff said, nodding to himself.  
  
“Mm, descriptive. Did he catch on at all?” Ryan said, leaning back into the couch a bit more with a yawn.  
  
Geoff shook his head, “No, he didn’t- uh- he was just like. Okay, I guess.”  
  
Ryan nodded sleepily, gestured for Geoff to go on, but Geoff couldn’t not take the opportunity, “Dude, I’ll tell you about it tomorrow, you’re uh- you’re tired, I’m tired. Let’s just pick this up in the morning. The afternoon. Not right now.”  
  
Ryan raised his eyebrows, eyes closed, and then slapped a hand on the arm of the couch, “Okay, I’m falling asleep just listening to you. Tomorrow?”  
  
“Sure.” Geoff said, already standing.  
  
“Alright. ‘Night.” Ryan said, dragging his feet as he walked away. Geoff realized he was going to their bathroom though, and knew this was a better opportunity than any if the internet was hooked up.  
  
Geoff rushed to Ryan’s room, sent a quiet thanks to whatever deity was watching when he saw that Ryan had left his computer on. Geoff pulled open the AIM conversation with Michael and quickly typed in their phone number along with a little :-) and then closed it again. He sped back to his room and closed the door with a quiet click behind him.  
  
Geoff sat on his mattress and tried desperately to think about anything else, staring at the jacket he had laid carefully over his desk chair. The problem was that his life was usually pretty boring, and this was anything but that. It was inflating inside of his head until it filled all of the crevices, and suddenly all he could think about was how natural it was to kiss Michael. Ryan had told him to kiss Michael, and Geoff had totally forgotten that, but they had kissed anyway, and it had shot a firework directly down Geoff’s throat and exploded in the pit of his stomach.  
  
Is that what people meant when they talked about there being sparks or whatever the fuck?  
  
Geoff toed off his shoes, shed his clothes, and laid down on his bed gingerly. This was stupid- Ryan would be losing what, a random one-time fuck? If Geoff let Michael slip away, he’d lose more than that probably, he’d lose the fucking sparks. It was practically math, what he would gain was more than what Ryan would lose. All is fair in love and war, fucker, or something. Besides, it was likely that Geoff would fuck it up somehow anyway, and Ryan would still get what he wanted in the end. And Geoff deserved to be a little selfish, he was a good person if you squinted.  
  
Whatever, he needed a second opinion, but from someone who wasn’t gonna be a pussy about it. Someone objective. Someone… Geoff’s eyelids drifted closed as he heard Ryan shuffling around in his room. Fuckin’- just someone.  
  
**  
  
Jack’s hair was ruffled and his eyes were tired but alert. Geoff had woken up in a panic and rushed to call up Jack before Ryan woke up, so it was way too early for them both. He had tried to explain over the phone, but after a few hastily whispered sentences Jack had decided he’d better just come over.  
  
Geoff had made them coffee and took a terrified gulp of it as Jack tried to process the whole god damn story. Geoff had insisted Jack stay quiet until he finished, a sentiment he regretted now as he waited for him to say something- anything at all. He had seen the small reactions cross over Jack’s face but christ, Geoff would kill for a grunt or even a sigh.  
  
“Would you please fucking say something?” Geoff said cagily, his grip on the coffee cup tighter with every passing second.  
  
Jack ran a hand through his mussed hair and took a long drink of coffee, “Sorry Geoff, that’s just kind of a lot to take in at once.”  
  
“I know, but as much as I’d like to uh- give you hints over the next couple of days before a big reveal, I just don’t have the time for it,” Geoff said, staring just to the right of Jack’s eyeline.  
  
“What I don’t get,” Jack started, and Geoff put his mug aside before laying back on the bed, “Is why you didn’t just tell us.”  
  
Geoff sighed, “Tell you _what,_ exactly?”  
  
Jack stuttered out, “That you’re- well, you’re-,”  
  
“I’m not gay, I’m not- I don’t know what I am!” Geoff sat up with a scrunched-up face, rubbed at his eyes in frustration, “Who cares, it’s not the point like, at all.”  
  
“It’s part of the point.” Jack said with a small shrug.  
  
“Why?” Geoff whined, sitting up tow frown at Jack.  
  
“Well because, if Ryan had known that you’re- fuck.” Jack paused to find the right words, “If he had known that you were attracted to dudes, I don’t think he would’ve asked you to-,”  
  
“Oh, so it’s _my_ fault now?” Geoff interrupted, crossing his arms.  
  
Jack tilted his head as if he was thinking it over, “No, I’m just saying-,”  
  
“You don’t think he would’ve asked _you_ to fake-date Michael if I had said no? Or Gavin?” Geoff asked, almost sure that Ryan would have. Ryan is the type to have a plan, and a back up plan, and there’s no way he hadn’t considered that Geoff might’ve opted out.  
  
Jack sighed, “That’s hard to say, I guess.”  
  
“Look, that’s just- let’s uh. Let’s just pretend that isn’t part of it. What I’m asking you, my uh- my moral compass,” Geoff touched Jack’s arm briefly with a half-smile, “Is what I should do.”  
  
“You know what you should do.” Jack said, looking at Geoff sternly though his tone was soft.  
  
“I’m uh, I’m gonna need you to say it.” Geoff said, glancing at his fingers fiddling idly with the sheets.  
  
“Christ- Geoff, look, you made a deal with Ryan. He pays you, you go on the dates, you break it off, and he sleeps with the guy,” Jack said bluntly, and Geoff winced, “Catching feelings wasn’t part of it.”  
  
“But-,”  
  
“And if it was, it should’ve been something that _you_ accounted for beforehand, not Ryan.” Jack continued, raising an eyebrow.  
  
“Fuck, I hate it when you’re right.” Geoff fussed, and Jack let out a chuckle.  
  
“Me too. I mean who knows, it could still work out.” Jack said with a smiled, clapping Geoff on the shoulder briefly.  
  
Geoff scoffed, “Would you come back to _me_ after fucking _Ryan?”_  
  
“Uh-ha,” Jack hummed a laugh, and Geoff interrupted before he could really answer.  
  
_“I_ fucking wouldn’t. Have you seen him?” Geoff said, picturing Ryan and how weirdly-picturesque sex with him would be, “God, I hate him.”  
  
“You don’t hate him.” Jack said.  
  
“You’re right, and that’s worse!” Geoff whined, tossing himself back on the bed again.  
  
“You’re gonna make it through. Just live it up these next few days, and hope that the sex with Ryan is bad.” Jack shrugged, putting his mug beside Geoff’s on the nightstand.  
  
“It won’t be.” Geoff mumbled.  
  
“You never know.” Jack said light-heartedly.  
  
“Thin walls, Jack.” Geoff said, tapping lightly on the wall beside the bed, “It won’t be.”  
  
“I didn’t need to know that.” Jack chuckled out, and Geoff sat up again.  
  
“I CAN’T KEEP IT TO MYSELF FOREVER. IT’S EATING AWAY AT ME!” Geoff screamed, grabbing dramatically at Jack’s shirt as he laughed hysterically.  
  
_“Shut up!”_ Ryan yelled, muffled but still fairly clear through the walls.  
  
Geoff shoved his face in his pillow to stifle his shallow laughter while Jack widened his eyes, “Shit, they really are pretty thin walls.”  
  
“I told you,” Geoff said, undiscernible through the pillow, but Jack laughed anyway.  
  
**  
  
“That’s it?” Ryan asked, later when Geoff had told him a slightly altered version of the date with Michael. Jack was listening with a vague squint beside Ryan, but Geoff ignored him. The date was kind of awesome, and there was no way that Geoff would be able to keep his feelings separate if he told the real story.  
  
“Yeah, I mean uh, he was pretty chill. Didn’t mind the tattoos or anything.” Geoff said for lack of wanting to give an answer that was anything resembling informative.  
  
“Well, that’s uh. Good I guess. Why were you out so late then?” Ryan asked, sitting forward and resting his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. Geoff shrunk at the focus of Ryan’s attention and looked at Jack as he spoke instead.  
  
“I uh- I was just walking around.” Not a lie, “Went to Emo’s for a bit to see if Gavin was around.” A lie, but not an unbelievable one.  
  
“Well that’s… boring.” Ryan said, and then raised an interested eyebrow, “Did you kiss him?”  
  
“Yeah dude I kissed him, no way to get a second date without at least uh- a fuckin’ peck,” Geoff said, trying to bring the focus away from the actual kiss.  
  
“How was your first kiss with a guy?” Ryan said, raising an eyebrow like a fucking dork.  
  
Geoff chuckled nervously, “It wasn’t- you fuck- you fuckin’ kissed me at the graduation party, remember?”  
  
“What?” Jack laughed out.  
  
“Oh god, I forgot about that!” Ryan blushed, glancing upward as if the memory was playing just behind Geoff’s head.  
  
“Yeah, so it uh- it wasn’t my first rodeo.” Geoff said vaguely, leaning back.  
  
That encounter _had_ been his first kiss with a guy. Geoff had opted for nursing his drink while keeping an eye on Ryan, and had guided him to the upstairs bathroom when he came whispering to Geoff that he didn’t feel too good. He remembered Ryan’s hands on his waist when Geoff had closed the door behind them, the music suddenly muffled with the click of it. Geoff had turned around to ask Ryan something, but before he could get a word in edge-wise Ryan’s mouth was hot and persistent against his. Geoff had giggled against him but let it play out, something he’d only let Ryan get away with.  
  
When they separated Geoff had blush high on his cheeks and Ryan smiled briefly before spinning around and vomiting, nearly missing the toilet. Geoff let out a chuckle and sat on the side of the tub, rubbed Ryan’s back soothingly and prayed that he would be too drunk to remember it.  
  
“Christ,” Ryan said, shaking his head in laughter, “another reason I don’t drink.”  
  
“I fucking told you that your first time drinking shouldn’t be at a high school party, but you didn’t listen.” Geoff said, pursing his lips to stop his smile.  
  
“I’m so fucking glad I didn’t go to that party.” Jack said, rolling his eyes.  
  
The phone rang, cutting the conversation cleanly.  
  
Geoff just blinked for a moment, happy to let Ryan answer as usual, but froze when he remembered the feeling of keys against his fingers as he sent their number to Michael on AIM.  
  
“I’ll get it!” Geoff got out, voice choking off as he raced to grab for it before Ryan could.  
  
**  
  
Jeremy had knocked on Michael’s door at around noon, waking Michael easily. Michael got up and opened the door to see a very eager-looking Jeremy, which wasn’t the most comforting thing to wake up to. Even this late in the day.  
  
“I’m sorry I woke you up buddy, I just _really_ couldn’t wait any longer,” Jeremy said, eyes shifting around happily.  
  
“What.” Michael said, blinking the stinging tiredness out of his eyes. Christ, he deserved so much more sleep than he was getting.  
  
“He sent his number last night after you went to bed.” Jeremy said, and handed Michael a little slip of paper with a string of meaningless numbers tied together. It took Michael a few sleepy seconds to realize that it was Geoff’s phone number, because of course.  
  
Michael had said he would call him.  
  
Michael took the slip of paper and prompted his brain to come up with any words at all, “Uh,”  
  
“I’d say this is a good sign, Michael,” Jeremy said with a grin, and then walked over to his room across the hall and shut the door.  
  
Now Michael stood staring at the phone in the kitchen, trying to convince himself that waiting three days to call somebody is absolutely some made-up straight-people bullshit and he could call Geoff whenever he fucking felt like it. Geoff would probably think it was cool that he didn’t wait to call. Michael pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, and found the resolve. Fuck what other people do.  
  
Michael opened up the Geoff box he had tucked away before falling asleep the night before.  
  
He took a breath and dialed the little numbers that Jeremy had scrawled in neat lettering on the slip of paper, holding the phone between his shoulder and head as he did, switching to his hand when it started to ring. His hand was already so god damn sweaty and he was starting to lose the concept of time with each ring, until, miraculously, it picked up.  
  
“Hello?” said the voice that was so unmistakably Geoff, kind of breathless. Michael couldn’t help the grin, and was glad that Jeremy hadn’t decided to pull up a chair and watch.  
  
“Hey, it- it’s Michael.” Michael said, frowning at his stutter.  
  
“Hey Michael, so you uh- you got my message.” Geoff said, and Michael pictured him in a similar kitchen, maybe leaning against the wall with that smile.  
  
“Yeah, thanks for that. Definitely makes it harder to call you when I don’t have your number.” Michael said, scratching at the back of his neck and leaning against the wall a bit.  
  
Geoff laughed, “Happy to hear I made it a little easier for you.”  
  
“Wouldn’t have been great to call every Geoff in the yellow pages.” Michael said.  
  
“Mm. Ramsey.” Geoff drawled, and Michael didn’t even know what the fuck he was saying but christ, it was entrancing how relaxed he sounded as he did.  
  
“Hm?” Michael said, feeling almost lulled by his voice.  
  
“That’s my last name.” Geoff said with a small chuckle.  
  
“Oh.” _Ramsey_ “Jones.” Michael said. It didn’t sound as effortless as the way Geoff said his last name, but he didn’t mind really.  
  
“Nice to meet you Michael Jones.” Geoff said sweetly, and Michael felt a smile cross his face without his permission.  
  
“Likewise, Ramsey.” He replied.  
  
Geoff let out a humming laugh that was so endearing it practically hurt, and Michael giggled along, twisting the cord around the breadth of his hand.  
  
“Geoff, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you wanna see me again.” Michael said, and it was a leap, but not a far-reaching one, and he just wanted to hear Geoff say it.  
  
“Michael, I would _love_ to see you again.” Geoff said, and god. It was pleasing to hear.  
  
“Good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i woke up really late today and almost forgot to post this :-)
> 
> but in any case! I hope you guys liked this chapter, the new one will be up next Friday (2018, holy shit) unless I finish it early!
> 
> As always if you like what I'm doing leave kudos if you haven't already, and let me know what you think in the comments!!! ♥


	7. Chapter 7

Geoff had kept the conversation on the phone with Michael short last time, knowing all too well that Jack and Ryan were straining their ears to find out who he was on the phone with. He rarely got calls that weren’t from them or Gavin, and he never raced to answer the phone, so Ryan had been suspicious in the teasing way only he could be, but Geoff had brushed it off with a weak excuse about a group project. He could tell from the look that Jack had given him that it wasn’t great, but it satisfied Ryan for the day.  
  
Jack had pulled him aside later and told Geoff that he was too obvious on the phone and that he either had to keep it together or not take the calls when Ryan was home. Geoff had pouted but Jack was stern and usually right, so he knew the advice was solid, but then just before leaving he stopped and said, “And I don’t care what Ryan says you’re allowed to do- don’t fuck him.”  
  
Geoff had blinked and spluttered and then Jack was gone. Geoff hadn’t thought that far ahead, but fuck, he should have.  
  
Geoff had spent the following few days dreading the phone ringing whenever Ryan was around, and then jumping to call Michael whenever he was gone. The rest of the time he would spend guiltily looking at himself in the mirror and reminding himself that he was _not_ going to fuck Michael. It was stressful but exhilarating, and Geoff was sure his blood pressure could only handle so much more of it. Which was fine and all, because- as Geoff reminded himself frequently- this would only last so long. For now, Geoff rifled through Ryan’s desk looking for that damn cell phone, so he wouldn’t have to sit on the kitchen counter for the whole world to see while he talked to Michael.  
  
“Yes!” he grinned as he found it shoved in a drawer with a mess of other electronics, and bolted for his room.  
  
Ryan had gone to the movies with Gavin and Jack, so that bought Geoff a few hours alone in the apartment before his second date with Michael later. He dialed Michael’s number on the cramped keys of the cell phone, reading it carefully from where he had it written on a sticky note he had on his mirror.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
“Uh- hey,” Geoff stuttered out, frazzled by the sound of a voice that definitely wasn’t Michael’s, “Is Michael around?”  
  
“Yeah, hold on- _Michael! Phone!”_ the guy yelled, and there was a pause before Geoff could hear the phone exchanging hands.  
  
“You got Michael,” Michael said, and Geoff smiled.  
  
“Hey, it’s Geoff,”  
  
“Hey! What’s up? Wait don’t tell me- you couldn’t wait any longer to hear my beautiful voice, is that it?” Michael snarked, and Geoff could practically hear his shit-eating grin over the line.  
  
“That’s uh, for me to know and for you to find out,” Geoff said, sitting on his bed and leaning against his pillow. He closed his eyes so that he could focus on Michael’s voice, not to get distracted by something in the corner of his vision.  
  
Michael chuckled, “Alright mister mysterious. Where are we going tonight anyway?”  
  
“Michael- that’s exactly why I’m calling.” Geoff said, hand running idly over his jeans.  
  
“Uh-oh, you’re not canceling on me, are you?” Michael said, voice dropping a bit, making Geoff sit up quickly as if that could make him talk faster.  
  
“No- no, not at all,” Geoff switched the cell phone to his opposite hand, “I was just wondering if you wanted to pick what we do tonight.”  
  
“Oh really?” Michael said, teasing as if Geoff had suggested something somehow risqué, when in reality Geoff just didn’t know how to plan a date to save his life.  
  
“Yeah, I mean I picked last time-,”  
  
“You really blew me out of the water with the fast food and free movie, I dunno if I can top that Geoffrey.” Michael teased, his breath giving away a laugh over the receiver.  
  
Geoff paused to smile before he responded, “I believe in you, Michael,”  
  
“Hm… how against illegal activities are you?” Michael said, mimicking the tone Geoff had used when he had asked Michael the same question.  
  
Geoff could actually feel himself blushing, “Well Michael, you’ll be happy to know that- uh, I’m only against getting caught.”  
  
“Man after my own heart. Swing by my place at eight?” Michael said, more a statement than a question.  
  
Geoff glanced at his clock and nodded to himself, “Sounds good. I’ll bring coffee.”  
  
Michael let out a laugh that started stifled then escaped, loud and perfect, “God, please do. Bring coffee, my jacket, cigarettes, and wear clean underwear. I’ll see you tonight.”  
  
Geoff blanched for a second before he remembered that he needed to reply, “Uh- right! Yeah, yes, tonight.”  
  
Michael hung up with a final giggle, and that wasn’t helping Geoff remember his deal at all. Geoff had no idea how Michael could just say shit like that without giving any sort of explanation, but it was vicious and gnawed away at his resolve. He let the cell phone fall onto his mattress as worry lines pressed an imprint between his eyebrows.  
  
“What the _fuck_ is that supposed to mean?” Geoff mumbled, rubbing at his forehead.  
  
It was kind of extremely difficult to remember that people say things without thinking them over too much, and he should do the same. But who the fuck just brings up wearing clean underwear- does that imply something? Is there some hidden meaning that went over Geoff’s head?  
  
“I am _not_ going to fuck Michael,” he said under his breath, and tried to believe it.  
  
He glanced at the clock and decided that whatever it meant or didn’t mean, he was definitely going to shower and find a clean pair of boxer briefs fucking somewhere before he took off. He pulled his t-shirt over his head and made his way to the shower, idly wondering to himself if Michael wore boxer briefs as well. Not that it mattered, he belonged to Ryan or whatever just like Jack said, but it couldn’t hurt to quietly picture Michael in a snug pair of boxer briefs. It was practically the natural line of thought anyway- and if the version of Michael in his head so happened to be sitting on his bed beckoning him with a look from beneath those gorgeous eyelashes, well.  
  
There was another joke about Geoff’s willpower somewhere in there if he tried, but as he stroked lazily over his dick and stepped into the hot spray of the shower, he couldn’t bring himself to think of one. The water ran over his skin, steamed up the bathroom, and Geoff rested his right hand on the tile while his left worked him over almost mechanically. There were few things that Geoff felt he knew how to do right, but getting himself off definitely made the list, and pretty near the top as well.  
  
He bit his lip and let a low moan escape as his thumb brushed over the head just so, flashes of images running a riot behind his eyelids. His pace quickened as his mind got stuck on a still of Michael’s mouth, maybe a memory or maybe a manufactured one, wet and pink, and christ. Another moan is pulled out of him on a particularly good stroke, and he held his breath for a bit as he found himself right on the edge.  
  
Geoff rested his head on the cool tile, briefly thanked god that he was alone, and came with a bitten-off shout, gasping in a breath. He watched as he pumped himself through the orgasm, come striping the tile and being washed off as quickly as it got there. He sighed pleasantly and faced the spray of the water, slightly cooler now.  
  
It was easy right then, to nearly convince himself that whatever was going on in his head over Michael was just that- all in his head. That he was sexually frustrated and starved for affection, and it all added up in just the right amounts to have him convince himself that there was something between them that Geoff needed to guard, to keep for himself. But as the water washed shampoo out of his hair and down his back, he knew that it wasn’t all in his head. Maybe Jack was right that Geoff should’ve been less fast and loose with his feelings than he had been, but Geoff couldn’t have been prepared, not for this. There was a connection, something he couldn’t explain, but it drew him naturally to Michael. Like a bee to a rose.  
  
Tonight would either confirm that it was all in his head or not, and he’d go from there no matter what Jack told him or what money Ryan gave him. Sometimes you have to fucking make decisions that are just for you, and really _nothing_ is fair in love or war anyway, so whatever. Whoever said that whole thing had clearly never been in love or to war.  
  
Geoff toweled himself off, got dressed- not forgetting the clean pair of boxer briefs- and decided that his hair was just gonna have to dry in the biting wind as glanced at the clock before grabbing Michael’s jacket. He was smiling as he locked the door and started walking down the steps, and fuck he was really gonna have to get used to that.  
  
**  
  
Michael leaned against the side of the building where he had left Geoff at their last date, and really, it was a good spot. He had stepped out a little early despite the cold to scout around and see who was in the area. There were people here and there, but they tended toward the entrance of the actual building, and the spot where he’d be meeting Geoff was out of the way. Kind of narrow and far off from anywhere worth being, so it was pretty much unnoticeable. Michael was grateful for it and its long blue shadows, because- well.  
  
He needed to kiss Geoff again. Not for science, or for Jeremy, or any shit like that, no. He was generally just feeling a tug at his chest whenever he talked to Geoff on the phone and he knew that it could somehow be… kissed better. He hadn’t actually put this thought process together until he opened the Geoff box when he was getting dressed. But now it wouldn’t leave, and he couldn’t just ignore it. Well he could, but it would suck.  
  
“Hey!”  
  
Michael was startled out of his thoughts, stopped leaning against the wall as Geoff stepped around the corner with Michael’s jacket slung over his arm. Michael felt that tug again.  
  
“Hey, you,” Michael said, instantly grabbing for the lapels of Geoff’s jacket when he got close enough. Geoff smiled endearingly and put Michael’s jacket over his shoulders, rubbing his shoulders to warm him up a bit. The long cerulean shadows of the alley fell over Geoff’s features, made his smile bright and gorgeous. Michael could only stare.  
  
“So where are we- _mm,”_ Geoff started, but Michael was distracted and really couldn’t go that much longer, so after one last glance around he just went for it really.  
  
Michael didn’t hold back, and Geoff could barely keep his head on straight as a result. Michael’s mouth was slick and soft against Geoff’s, and he pulled Geoff closer by his jacket. Geoff breathed in as he deepened the kiss, licking into Michael’s mouth greedily as he pressed him against the wall, hands bracketing his frame almost as if to stop himself from going too far. Michael hummed into it, liked the scratch of Geoff’s stubble. He sucked on Geoff’s tongue dirtily and trailed his hands up his chest and then up into his hair, damp. The tug in his chest had settled.  
  
Michael pulled away to take a breath, and Geoff only kissed softly down the delicate skin of his neck, and Michael bit his lip before tilting Geoff’s head up with a hand on his chin.  
  
“Hm?” Geoff said, dazed to all hell and blinking slowly.  
  
“I uh- fuck, stop looking at me I can’t think,” Michael said, and Geoff hummed a laugh and hid his face in the crook of Michael’s neck.  
  
They were silent for a second while Michael tried to reorder his thoughts and Geoff briefly spoke up, “You wore your glasses.”  
  
“What? Oh, yeah,” Michael pushed them up the bridge of his nose self-consciously, “Do I look like a geek?”  
  
“No, you look good. You look like you can see.” Geoff said, and Michael grinned, pushed at Geoff while he giggled until Geoff was standing up straight again.  
  
Michael squinted at him vaguely, slipping his arms into the sleeves of his jacket, “Where’s my coffee?”  
  
“Oh fuck- let’s, uh, we can go get some. My treat,” Geoff said, pointing behind himself and walking backward a bit.  
  
“No actually, we can get some after.”  
  
“After?”  
  
“After. I hope you brought clean underwear,” Michael said, raising his eyebrows. Geoff took a breath and nodded, Michael let out a chuckle before walking away, leaving Geoff to follow after.  
  
When they cleared the shadows of the narrow alley, Geoff noticed something and lifted the back of Michael’s jacket to find a backpack. A fucking backpack.  
  
“Why the fuck do you have a backpack? Michael, where are we going?” Geoff’s voice cracked as he turned to catch Michael’s smirk.  
  
“It’s a surprise, kind of,” Michael said.  
  
“Do I get twenty questions?” Geoff asked hopefully.  
  
“No.” Michael said, and Geoff pursed his lips.  
  
“Do I get a Jeopardy-esque answer?” Geoff cleared his throat for his best Alex Trebek impression, “This scenario involves clean underwear, a backpack, and some may drink coffee after. What is… the murder of one Geoff Ramsey?”  
  
Michael made the _err!_ sound that meant Geoff was wrong, and Geoff relaxed but only slightly. Michael looked over at him and laughed as they crossed a street, Geoff frowning after him.  
  
“Why do you think I’m gonna fucking murder you?” Michael said after he caught his breath.  
  
“Well for one, I forgot your coffee,” Geoff said, and Michael laughed, but gestured for him to go on, “And also, I assume that people only get kissed like that when they’re about to die.”  
  
“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”  
  
“Uh, your last kiss has to be your best one right, or else what’s the point?”  
  
“Your _best_ one? Geoffrey, I am _flattered,”_ Michael said, and Geoff shook his head charmingly.  
  
“You, uh- you don’t have to call me your best, I know you have to pretend so you don’t break some poor sucker’s heart,” Geoff said, and Michael giggled before putting on his fake serious face.  
  
“Thank you for understanding Geoff, it’s hard out here for a player like me,” Michael said, interrupting himself with his own laugh. Geoff laughed along, came to a stop when Michael stopped where they stood.  
  
Geoff had been distracted, watching Michael as they walked through town, but as he looked around now, was more surprised than he envisioned being.  
  
“Michael, we’re in a suburb.” Geoff said, because he still couldn’t really believe it. He had never been in a suburb, maybe had been in a car that had driven through one, but never had he been standing on a sidewalk with no cracks leading to identical houses.  
  
“Yes, I’m aware.” Michael said, and then he just walked right up to a house they were in front of. Geoff really couldn’t think of a less safe place for them to be seen together, even if it was nighttime.  
  
“Michael!” Geoff stage whispered, running to catch up with him as he fiddled with a latch on fence gate.  
  
Michael chuckled as he shimmied the gate open, “Yes?”  
  
“Please tell me something slightly less crazy than breaking into a house in suburbia is happening right now.” Geoff whispered.  
  
“Something slightly less crazy, yeah, that’s fair,” Michael said, dragging Geoff into the fenced off backyard of the house.  
  
Geoff stood still as Michael pulled open a door and then beckoned him to follow. Geoff shook his head and Michael rolled his eyes and went over to grab his hand and drag him to the door.  
  
“Don’t be a pussy, c’mon,” Michael said, pulling him down into the dark steps that Geoff assumed was the basement, radiating warmth. He followed after with a whine, frowning and glancing around, thankful for the tall fence that hid them.  
  
Geoff reached the bottom and with a click the room was suddenly filled with light. Michael turned to him with a smile and went over to close the door, closing them in the warm basement. Geoff blinked for probably a solid minute before Michael grabbed his face and angled him to look at him in the face.  
  
“Calm down, no one’s home, they went south for the season,” Michael said, and that still wasn’t very reassuring, but it helped.  
  
“That’s. That’s, uh, a pool.” Geoff said, pointing at the large pool that took up most of the area of the basement floor. An indoor, underground, heated pool. There was steam rising from it.  
  
“Yup,” Michael said, dropping his backpack and jacket in a corner and then toeing his shoes off, followed by his socks.  
  
The water was lit by these pool lights on the bottom, and it was deeper than it looked. The lights in the room seemed to bounce off of the dark water and color everything in these shades of blue. It was kind of heavenly, the whole warm water in a secret place right at the start of fall. Geoff found himself leaning forward to catch glimpses of the bottom of the pool, the water so clear yet so blue. Geoff licked his lips, mulling over the feeling of being thirsty and faced with water you can’t drink.  
  
“Are we going swimming? In September.” Geoff said in disbelief, and when he turned back to Michael, he was pulling his t-shirt over his head. Geoff could feel his mind memorizing the movement of it without his permission, and then it went completely blank when he got an eyeful of Michael’s pale skin, the light trail of hair leading down his pants. The blue was washed out by his skin so that it simply highlighted the hard lines of Michael’s body, soft shadow turned cyan.  
  
“Yes, Geoff, that’s the plan.” Michael walked over to him and pushed his leather jacket off his shoulders until it fell in a heap on the floor, “Unless you’d rather have me put my shirt back on, and we can just go get some coffee-,”  
  
Geoff shook his head vigorously, licked his lips, toed his shoes and socks off and pulled his shirt over his head, “No, no, swimming is good, I like swimming.”  
  
“Good,” Michael said, but he was talking to Geoff’s chest tattoos, eyes tracing the path they made as they connected to the ink on his shoulders. Almost like he couldn’t help it he reached forward and placed his hands on them, trailing them lightly until he just looped his arms around Geoff’s neck.  
  
Michael was vaguely aware that this was _a lot_ for a second date, but in his head it hadn’t been so crazy. He’d been here before with Ray and Jeremy, it was supposed to be fun and free of the kind of people that hung around shitty public pools. And plus it was free. But now that it was just him, and Geoff, and a big empty room with a pool and them mostly naked, well…  
  
“This is a great excuse to get me with my shirt off,” Geoff said jokingly, and Michael smirked, it was like Geoff had read his mind.  
  
“Maybe,” he said and then dipped down to kiss at Geoff’s neck. Geoff sucked in a breath and splayed his hands over Michael’s back, admiring the contrast of his inked hands against the pallor of Michael’s freckled skin. Geoff bit his lip as Michael sucked a mark into the juncture between Geoff’s neck and shoulder, licked it soothingly.  
  
Geoff didn’t know what to do with all the sensory information. Jack’s voice was ringing in his head but Geoff couldn’t even tell what he was saying anymore, for how much mind power it was taking to not get hard. Geoff blinked a lot, started to say something but then Michael smirked and pushed him into the pool before he could say it. The water splashed loudly, and Geoff came up for air to hear the ringing of Michael’s laughter echoing against the tiled walls.  
  
“You asshole! I don’t have extra pants!” Geoff yelled, voice cracking.  
  
“Oops!” Michael said with a shrug and a grin, and Geoff splashed water at him begrudgingly, “Hey now, calm down! I’m kidding, I have some sweatpants in the backpack, don’t worry.”  
  
“I liked these pants,” Geoff pouted from where he was treading water, and as he spoke he went to lean on the side of the pool so he could wriggle out of them.  
  
“Yeah? I liked the ones you spilled coffee on.” Michael said as Geoff slapped the heavy denim of his pants out of the pool and on the tile in front of Michael.  
  
“Is this- is this all you getting back at me?” Geoff said, and it was all he could say to stop himself from saying what he was initially going to say- _is this the argument we’re gonna have until we’re old and married or civil union-ed?_  
  
“Maybe!” Michael said, pulling down his baggy pants and stepping out of them. Geoff had a witty comeback, he really did, but Michael had a perky little ass and sparse hairs on his pale-as-the-moonlight thighs, and really it was a miracle Geoff could remember his own name. His imagination from earlier was nothing in comparison.  
  
Michael was harrowingly aware of what he was doing as he turned around and bent down to pick up the clothes he had shed, even moreso as Geoff let out an audible gasp because yeah. Yeah. But what, was he just gonna leave their clothes all over the ground like some fuckin’ animals? He folded their clothes haphazardly and placed them on top of his backpack. He briefly considered leaving his glasses there as well, but decided he’d rather see Geoff, even at risk of losing the damn things.  
  
Michael turned back around, and Geoff was fully blushing from where he was floating in the water. He looked good all wet, his hair spikey from the water and his tattoos somehow brighter. His eyes were wide and closer to a midnight color than before, maybe it was the contrast against the water, but it was a good color. Michael smirked, and Geoff just started talking, like he couldn’t stop himself.  
  
“You are… stunning.” Geoff said, and now it was Michael’s turn to blush. This was the kind of larger-than-life moment that had Geoff forgetting anything Jack told him about anything, and there was no way to stop it.  
  
“Shut the fuck up,” Michael said bashfully, stepping into the warm water slowly.  
  
Geoff waded toward him, “No, I can’t, god how are you not just walking around in only your underwear all the time?” Geoff got his hands on Michael’s waist and pulled him the rest of the way into the pool, Michael going with a slight squeak of surprise.  
  
“Well I usually do, Geoff, but it’s kinda hard to keep up once it starts to get cold out, y’know?” Michael said jokingly, and settled his hands on Geoff’s shoulders since he seemed so dead set on holding Michael in the water.  
  
“I’m gonna hold you to that come springtime,” Geoff mumbled, staring at the tendons in Michael’s neck almost hungrily.  
  
Michael blushed, wasn’t sure it would fade, and his gaze landed on Geoff’s piercings. He fiddled with them with one finger, smiling small at Geoff’s wince.  
  
“Is it bad for you to be swimming with these?” Michael asked in a small voice, and Geoff pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose where they were sliding down.  
  
“It wouldn’t stop me if it was,” Geoff said, and then he was leaning in and kissing Michael breathless. Michael wrapped his legs around Geoff’s waist so that Geoff could free his hands, cradle Michael’s face in his hands and angle him better. Michael sucked at Geoff’s lower lip and pawed at his chest, fingers curling and uncurling subconsciously.  
  
Geoff pulled away and Michael saw fucking stars, said, “That one, that one was my best one,”  
  
“Really?” Geoff said with a huge smile, and before Michael could respond, Geoff was lifting him and tossing him backward into the pool.  
  
When Michael came back to the surface, Geoff was laughing loud and uproarious, echoing endlessly against the walls, and Michael couldn’t even be mad because it was fucking adorable. Instead, he splashed water at him until Geoff splashed back, and then they were just a flurry of water droplets, laughter, and warmth.  
  
After a while, they ended up sitting pressed together on the edge of the pool, Geoff leaning on Michael’s shoulder and just breathing in the scent of chlorine and familiarity in warmth. Michael closed his eyes, could fall asleep to the hum of pool jets and Geoff’s breathing. It was something like a paradise. The water was splashing against the sides of the pool and he could almost imagine it was like waves on the beach, even having never been to one. They were quiet like that for a while, maybe they even fell asleep for a bit, but then Michael was pulling towels from his backpack so they could dry off a bit. Geoff woke himself up and toweled his hair, sure it would be a mess by the time they left, but would rather be dry and a mess than wet, cold, and halfway decent-looking. When he turned around Michael was taking a swig from a metal flask, his curls dripping water droplets onto his cheekbones and flowing down to pool in his collarbone.  
  
“Mm,” Michael said as he caught Geoff’s glance, “You want? It’s whiskey.”  
  
“I, uh, don’t drink,” Geoff said, and braced himself for a question that beguiled some kind of explanation from him, the usual response. It was a hassle to sit and talk to people who only ever wanted a deeper reason as to why, but it was something he’d grown accustomed to in certain circles. A lot of circles. People love to stick their noses in places they don’t fucking belong.  
  
But without a moment’s hesitation, Michael just smiled and said, “More for me.”  
  
Geoff slung an arm around Michael’s shoulders and kissed his cheek, making Michael blush and wetting Geoff with the water from Michael’s hair. Geoff pushed Michael’s glasses up the bridge of his nose again, and let out a calm and comfortable breath. Geoff briefly wondered if this was domesticity, or something close to it. Michael smiled and looked up at Geoff through slightly foggy lenses. In this warm little basement Michael could pretend that he and Geoff were the only people that mattered, that the Geoff box could stay open like Pandora’s box, stay bitten like Eve’s fucking apple, chaotic and necessary.  
  
He knew though, that outside it was cold, and eventually the box would have to close once more and be passed along to Jeremy, floated over cooler waters like a ship in the night. Michael didn’t even want to set sail, but the compass on Geoff’s arm pointed toward home, and that was wherever he wanted it to be. Maybe Jeremy. Maybe Michael.  
  
Michael shook the thought from his head, getting cold water on Geoff who chuckled quietly. Michael took another swig of whiskey, shuddered at the burn and then stood, knowing they couldn’t stay in their little utopia forever. Though it would be nice.  
  
“Coffee?” Michael said when Geoff looked up at him in question. Geoff just smiled brightly and nodded, and so they dried off completely. Michael lent Geoff the warm sweatpants as they got dressed, and soon they turned the lights out in Eden before walking out into the cold.  
  
**  
  
They sat across from each other at the coffee shop, and Geoff longed to be in that private place where he could share Michael’s warmth without fear of onlookers. Even so, they shared coffee-warmed smiles over their respective cups, and Geoff felt the radiation of Michael’s similar longing to touch. Geoff knocked his shoe against Michael’s under the table, and it wasn’t much, but it was something.  
  
“Whose house was that anyway?” Geoff said, sipping his coffee, black, “Unless it’s your place, and you’re secretly rich and that was your way of telling me.”  
  
“Ha, I wish,” Michael said, pressing the coffee to his lower lip briefly to steal the warmth, “It’s uh. It’s like one of my step-dad’s places, or whatever.”  
  
“One?” Geoff asked, and Michael nodded.  
  
“He’s got money. I definitely don’t have money.” Michael said bitterly, glancing over Geoff’s shoulder.  
  
“Welcome to the club.” Geoff commiserated, half-smiling though there was nothing to smile about.  
  
“Been a longstanding member, trust me.” Michael said, shrugging his shoulders.  
  
Geoff hummed out a laugh, and Michael smiled, smacked him on the arm and said, “What?”  
  
“Nothin’ just- like we both came up with the uh. Super cheap dates, y’know?” Geoff said slowly, like he was trying extra hard to make sure he wasn’t being offensive.  
  
“Yeah,” Michael said with a shrug.  
  
“And it’s just like. Imagine how fucked we’d like, feel. If one of us came from money.” Geoff said, eyes flicking over Michael and away again. He shouldn’t have said it, he said it because he was thinking about Ryan- Ryan and his _computer_ and _car_ and _cell phone._  
  
“Damn, I guess you’re right.” Michael said after a moment, leaning back a little.  
  
Geoff hummed, “Can’t pay for a meal at a fancy restaurant-,”  
  
“Can’t afford the luxury of going to the movies-,” Michael followed-up and Geoff gestured at him pointedly with his coffee cup.  
  
“Exactly.” Geoff said, and took another sip.  
  
Michael chuckled, raised his cup toward Geoff’s, “Uh, here’s to being a cheap date?”  
  
“And an even cheaper fuck.” Geoff laughed out, and Michael clicked cups with his, nearly spilling them as he jostled with laughter. Geoff kind of blushed, because what kind of ass-backwards thing is that to say to your date? But it was obvious that he and Michael shared the same humor, if the way that Michael was banging on the table laughing was any indication.  
  
Their walk home was silent in the cold, a gap between them filled with cigarette smoke as they neared Michael’s dorm. Geoff took comfort in the silence. He knew that as much as he loved the rough and biting charm of Michael’s voice, that the quiet was as therapeutic now when there was cold space between them as it was when they sat glued together by warmth and pool water in the little basement in the suburbs. Geoff didn’t know a lot of people who were comfortable without talking. He wondered how long it would go.  
  
They arrived at Michael’s dorm and slid into the indigo shadows of the narrow alleyway, still saying nothing as they put out their cigarettes in the dirt. Michael looked tired, put a cold hand on Geoff’s chest and it felt like a _seeya later._ Geoff took the hand and kissed his knuckles, and then leaned in and kissed him tender, chaste, before they shared worn smiles and Geoff walked on home.  
  
_I am not going to fuck Michael._  
  
Geoff thought it hard as he walked through the frigid air, and no he wasn’t. He was going to fall in love with him. Geoff wiped the fleeting thought from the blackboard of his mind, but the chalk dust remained floating like dust in the air, and it was blue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is long. remember when i said this might come out earlier if i finished it? yeeeeeeeah
> 
> hope you guys liked this one!
> 
> as always leave kudos if you haven't already and let me know what you think in the comments!!! ♥
> 
> edit: chapter 8 will be up next week


	8. Chapter 8

Michael had been pacing the small space between his and Jeremy’s bedroom doors for what seemed like an eternity now. He had been doing the same thing for a bit when he got in after the date with Geoff the night previous, but his hair was still wet and he didn’t know how to even begin explaining himself. Well, he did, but then he was afraid he would slip up and tell Jeremy something crazy like about how he had never felt more comfortable with somebody like that, and that Geoff’s collarbone tattoos were imprinted behind his eyelids, and his laugh was like melted butter.  
  
But a night’s sleep wasn’t gonna make it go away.  
  
He was gonna tell Jeremy- something. Something like he can’t do this anymore, give the money back, apologize- god, something. He didn’t know how to start a conversation like that at all. Jeremy had been keeping his distance from the situation, though Michael couldn’t understand why. If this had been Michael’s deal he’d probably be watching like a hawk, listening in on phone calls, doing crazy shit. _Definitely,_ if he knew it was Geoff.  
  
Michael’s thoughts were interrupted where he was staring at the wood of Jeremy’s door when it was opened and Jeremy stood there, startled by Michael.  
  
“Oh- hey, Michael,” Jeremy chuckled, touching Michael’s shoulder briefly as he made to walk past him, “You okay there?”  
  
“Uh,” Michael caught Jeremy by the wrist before he could escape, “I wanted to-,” Jeremy stopped and looked at him with that strange mix of apprehension and readiness on his face. Jeremy was always a good listener, understanding where Michael kind of expected gruffness. He had that same look on his face now as he did when Michael needed to vent about his mom or classes, and it caught Michael off guard, but he recovered quickly, “Can we talk?”  
  
“Sure buddy,” Jeremy turned to face him fully now, “What’s up?”  
  
Michael avoided looking at Jeremy’s eyes, he was so fucking easy to talk to, damn him, so why was this so hard to talk about? Michael gestured with his head that they walk back into Jeremy’s room, closing the door behind him and sitting the same way they did when Jeremy brought this ordeal to Michael. Jeremy at his desk chair, and Michael settled cross legged on his bed.  
  
“About Geoff,” Michael said, staring at the pattern on the sheets.  
  
“Okay. Who’s Geoff?” Jeremy said, and Michael’s face could be burning from how shit he felt about it. He didn’t even fucking know Geoff’s name.  
  
“Oh, uh, that’s the guy- the uh,” Michael pointed at the computer vaguely until Jeremy got the gist.  
  
“Oh, blue eyes? Gotcha, okay- yeah I’ve been meaning to ask like how that was going and stuff?” Jeremy sat more attentively now, leaning forward.  
  
“It’s uh- I- good, y’know?” Michael stuttered out, followed by a sigh, “Listen, Jeremy-,”  
  
“Wait Michael before you say anything, I just wanted to thank you for doing this for me, man,”  
  
“Jeremy-,”  
  
“No, I’m serious Michael, I don’t think you give yourself enough credit,” Jeremy said, eyes sincere in a way that was nearly painful.  
  
Michael felt his mouth go dry and he pressed it into a thin line, just nodded because he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t fucking do it and it was gonna kill him later, but god how could he just tell Jeremy like that? Jeremy was the nicest guy on the face of the fucking planet and there was no way that Michael could slam him with this stupid thing that he was going through. But then there was Geoff. Fuck.  
  
Jeremy smiled at him brightly, “So what’s up? Blue eyes- he’s cool?”  
  
“Yeah, yeah. It’s uh- all according to plan.” Michael said, practically on autopilot now.  
  
“You seeing him again today?” Jeremy said, and Michael could barely look at his smile.  
  
“Yeah.” Michael said, and then let out a slow breath, “Jeremy, I- _Idon’tknowhowlongIcandothis-,”_  
  
“Don’t overthink it Michael, you got this,” Jeremy interrupted him with a chuckle, walking over while reaching into his wallet. He stopped in front of Michael and pressed the fifty dollars into his hands. Michael felt dirty. “Listen, I gotta head out-,”  
  
“Lil J, wait-,”  
  
“Michael, you worry too much, dude!” Jeremy called as he walked backwards out the bedroom door, Michael stumbling off the bed after him, “It’s gonna be fine-,”  
  
“But-,” Michael followed him to the living room as he approached the door.  
  
“I’ll catch you later, alright? Have a good time with Jim tonight,” Jeremy said, waving over his shoulder as he walked out the front door, leaving Michael standing idly in the doorway.  
  
“It’s- Geoff,” Michael muttered with a sigh as the door shut.  
  
Michael let his forehead fall against the door with a low _thud._ It was like Jeremy _knew_ that Michael was gonna say something that he didn’t want to hear. Michael groaned and headed toward his bedroom. He had tried, really, he had.  
  
**  
  
Geoff laid back on his bed staring at the ceiling listening to the semi-consistent slamming of Ryan’s headboard against his thin bedroom wall across the living room from Geoff’s room.  
  
“Bollocks to what Jack says,” Gavin said from where he was laying beside Geoff on the bed.  
  
“Hm?” Geoff asked vaguely, having nearly forgotten that Gavin was even there.  
  
“It’s crap is what it is. Ryan’s getting fucked _right now_ and you’re not allowed to get any? Garbage.” Gavin said, all in response to Geoff needing to talk to someone who wasn’t as morality-focused as Jack was.  
  
“Jack just knows that I won’t be able to stop the fuckin’… the uh barrel of emotions,” Geoff said.  
  
Gavin let out a loud laugh, “The _what?”_  
  
“Like a barrel of monkeys. But uh, it’s emotions,” Geoff said, and Gavin let out another laugh, “Shut up, you know what I mean.”  
  
“I really don’t.” Gavin said as his laughter faded.  
  
Geoff sighed, “The uh, stupid high school girlfriend story.”  
  
“Oh her. Bollocks to her as well.” Gavin said, poking Geoff in the ribs lightly.  
  
“Jack’s right! I was obsessed with her forever, and I can’t fuck this deal with Ryan,” Geoff whined, and Gavin rolled his eyes and grabbed Geoff’s face.  
  
“Okay, but Ryan made this happen for a one night stand, yeah?” Gavin asked.  
  
“Uh huh,” Geoff mumbled through Gavin’s hold on him.  
  
“Then why is he fucking this guy right now then, hm?” Gavin let go to gesture in the direction of the cacophony coming from Ryan’s room.  
  
“He can fuck whoever he wants, that’s _so_ not my business,” Geoff said, putting his hands up.  
  
“Okay fair, but if he can fuck whoever he wants, then you should fuck whoever you want, right?” Gavin said, sitting on Geoff’s chest while Geoff nodded, “And who do you want?”  
  
“You know who I fucking want,” Geoff groaned, shoving Gavin off of him.  
  
“Say it you bastard.” Gavin laughed out, smacking Geoff’s arm.  
  
Geoff sighed dramatically, “I want Michael.”  
  
Gavin nodded, “Right. And it’s Ryan’s bloody deal, and he gave you permission, so fuck Jack and the barrel of monkeys-,”  
  
“Emotions-,”  
  
“Whatever, and have at it with lovely Michael.” Gavin said, batting his eyelashes ridiculously.  
  
“First of all, you’re not allowed to call him lovely. In fact, you’re not allowed anywhere near him,” Geoff said, sitting up and crossing his arms defensively.  
  
_“What!”_  
  
“You’re an animal and he’ll probably like it- an- and I do not want him to like you,” Geoff said while Gavin laughed obnoxiously.  
  
“Oh, you think he’ll like me _better,”_ Gavin said.  
  
“No, I _know_ he’ll like you better- he’d like you or Ryan or Jack over me, and that’s why I’m not letting any of you dicks meet him.” Geoff said flippantly.  
  
Gavin smirked, “Aren’t you bringing him back here tonight?”  
  
“Yeah- no, no, no- you’re gonna leave! And Ryan’s gonna leave and his fuck-buddy is gonna leave and-,” Geoff said hysterically until Gavin interrupted.  
  
“Okay, okay fine. But,” Gavin said, and Geoff rubbed at his forehead, “I just want to see what he looks like.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“What does it take to pull the undateable Geoff Ramsey?” Gavin tilted Geoff’s chin up daintily, and Geoff smacked his hand away.  
  
“Shut up, I am not undateable.” Geoff said.  
  
“Apparently not. This Michael bloke proves it anyway.” Gavin responded, and Geoff just shrugged.  
  
The loud creaking of Ryan’s headboard came to a stop and Gavin let out a chuckle, “I suppose that’s my cue,” he stood up and stretched, “I don’t want to psyche you out before lovely Michael-,”  
  
“Why did I ever tell you his name-,” Geoff groaned, and Gavin giggled.  
  
“Well have a good time anyway Geoff,” Gavin said, shoved at his shoulder and traipsed out the door before he could accidentally run into Ryan’s guest.  
  
Geoff grumbled as he went around cleaning his room up a bit while the soft sounds of Ryan quietly walking the guy out with low chuckles and mumbled words here and there. Geoff let Gavin’s words run around in his mind as he smoothed out his sheets, kicked clothes into a pile at the end of his bed. Maybe Jack wasn’t right after all.  
  
No, he was right, Jack was always right.  
  
Then again, Geoff really wasn’t so interested in what was right or not.  
  
There was a knock at his door before Ryan was there leaning against the doorjamb, looking properly flushed and dazed, and only half dressed.  
  
“Hey champ, how’s the dent in your wall going?” Geoff asked with a smirk.  
  
Ryan chuckled, “Funny. Listen, me and-,”  
  
“Mr. Stamina?” Geoff interrupted and Ryan blushed deeper.  
  
“Sure. We’re taking off, you’re uh- you got anything goin’ on tonight?”  
  
“Maybe. If you’re asking if I’ll be okay without good old dad watching out for me tonight- kindly fuck off,” Geoff said, flipping Ryan off accordingly.  
  
“Alright, I’ll be back tomorrow.” Ryan said.  
  
Geoff gulped quietly, “Tomorrow,” and Ryan was out the door before he could say anything more.  
  
Somehow that felt like the universe sending Geoff an invitation, that said _Do whatever._ and it was tempting. More than tempting.  
  
**  
  
Michael found Geoff waiting at their usual spot, cigarette smoke clouding his face for a moment, so he looked almost like a phantom of himself leaning against the brick wall.  
  
“Hey,” Geoff said, and Michael plucked the cigarette from between his fingers.  
  
“Hey yourself,” Michael responded, and kissed him. He started to pull away and Geoff hummed a laugh between their lips and pulled him back in, hands splaying up his hairline and tugging just slightly. Michael couldn’t help but grin, effectively ending their kiss.  
  
“Miss me?” Michael said, taking a single drag from the cigarette before dropping it on the ground and putting it out beneath his shoe.  
  
“I sure as hell missed _that,_ but you? Eh,” Geoff said, his hand making a more or less gesture. Michael laughed and smacked his hand down, holding it once Geoff let it fall and bringing it up to kiss at his knuckles briefly.  
  
“So, what’re we doing today Geoff?” Michael said, and Geoff smiled and kissed his forehead before leading him down the street. The space between them widened as they made their way toward Geoff’s apartment, and this didn’t help Geoff reconcile with the implication as much as he thought it would have.  
  
Geoff fiddled with the keys to let them into the apartment building, and together they climbed the stairs until they were at Geoff’s doorway. Michael leaned against the wall beside the door while Geoff got the key wrong about fifteen thousand times.  
  
“Sorry, whenever it takes me this long I’ll just ring until my roommate opens for me, but uh. He’s out.” Geoff said as he flipped through the old keys on his key ring.  
  
“You have a roommate?” Michael asked, and before Geoff could dance around that question, someone called out and scared the shit out of him.  
  
“Geoff!”  
  
Geoff blanched for a second, even though he knew the voice wasn’t Ryan’s- but of course, it had to be Gavin fucking Free swinging around the corner of the hallway.  
  
“Gavin- you asshole,”  
  
“Geoff, how rude, is this how you treat your friends?” Gavin said as he swaggered around the corner, and Geoff could already see him making eyes at Michael. The guy couldn’t go five fucking seconds.  
  
Michael stared at Geoff with a half-amused face for a few seconds while Geoff ignored Gavin before he sighed and gave in, “Michael, this is my idiot Gavin.”  
  
“Hi,” Michael said with a small wave.  
  
“Hello love-,” Gavin said, smiling and running a hand through his stupid hair.  
  
“Quit it.” Geoff interrupted.  
  
“Just pleasantries, Geoff, honestly,” Gavin said defensively, almost pouting, and Michael snickered to himself.  
  
“I’m never paying for your drinks again-,” Geoff said.  
  
“How old are you, Michael?” Gavin interrupted, setting his eyes on Michael again.  
  
“I-,”  
  
“You are banned from sleeping here-,” Geoff threatened, making an annotated list of intimidations in his mind.  
  
“I’m twenty-one,” Michael answered, cheeks pinkening a bit.  
  
“You treating Geoff well, then?” Gavin continued.  
  
“I’m gonna figure out how to get you deported-,” Geoff said, eyeing Gavin more sternly now though Gavin was looking right past him.  
  
“I like to think so,” Michael chuckled, glancing at Geoff.  
  
“Why can’t I find the _fucking_ key?” Geoff muttered, fiddling through the keys again.  
  
“Last thing Michael, boy, I swear-,” Gavin said, and Michael raised his eyebrows.  
  
“Boy?” Michael asked, and Gavin grinned.  
  
“Shag the paranoia out of him, would you?” Gavin said.  
  
_“Gavin!”_ Geoff shouted, echoing through the halls loudly.  
  
Gavin presented the missing key, which Geoff snatched out of his grip. He then bolted down the stairs with a quick, “Bye Michael!” before Geoff could get a hold of him.  
  
Michael just about lost his shit laughing as soon as Gavin was out of sight, bent over himself as Geoff finally got the door open with the key Gavin had stolen.  
  
“Interesting friend,” Michael said after he could stand upright again, “Are they all gonna be like that when I meet them?”  
  
“He’s not interesting, and no you’re not gonna meet them,” Geoff grabbed Michael’s hands and pulled him into the apartment and closed the door behind them.  
  
“Aw Geoff, don’t be so uptight, I only got eyes for you baby,” Michael said in a cheesy voice, and it sounded so much warmer to Geoff within the walls of the apartment, even just standing in the doorway.  
  
“I don’t have that many friends anyway. You could meet Jack I guess.” Geoff said with a shrug.  
  
“Jack? Sounds hot.” Michael said, and Geoff let out a laugh.  
  
“Shut up.”  
  
Then they were just standing in the doorway holding hands while Michael smiled up at Geoff comfortably, leaned up and kissed him again before turning to actually look at the apartment. He let go of Geoff’s hands and wandered while Geoff stood back and watched. Michael glanced briefly into the kitchen and then walked toward the small living room.  
  
“This yours?” Michael asked as his hands pressed over the fabric of the old couch in front of the TV.  
  
“Yeah, uh. Yeah, how’d you know?” Geoff asked.  
  
“There’s a Geoff shaped indentation in the couch, here,” Michael chuckled, “No, I dunno it just kinda. It’s very _you.”_  
  
“Wow, do I look that poor?” Geoff asked with a chuckle.  
  
“No dumbass, it’s like. I don’t know- maybe it just kinda smells like your deodorant.” Michael said softly, and Geoff walked up behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist.  
  
“You know what my deodorant smells like?” Geoff said into Michael’s hair.  
  
“I know you don’t wear cologne.” Michael replied.  
  
“You know things about me,” Geoff teased, tickling his fingers into Michael’s sides a bit as he continued in a sing-song voice, “You like me, you wanna meet my friends,”  
  
“Yeah,” Michael chuckled, twisting around in Geoff’s grip, “So, you’re interesting and hot and I like you. You gonna do something about it?”  
  
“Uhh, wanna see my room?” Geoff said, meaning for it to be a change of subject, but it sounded a lot more like a suggestion, “Fuck I mean- I,”  
  
“Geoffrey, what’s got you so nervous?” Michael asked, guiding Geoff to look down at him with his hand, “Do I make you nervous?”  
  
“A lot of things make me nervous- snakes, needles-,” Geoff said, and Michael scoffed, glancing over Geoff’s tattoos, “But you, Michael Jones, you don’t make me nervous.”  
  
“How do I make you feel then?” Michael whispered.  
  
“Intoxicated,” Geoff breathed out, and it felt too truthful, too much, even as Michael leaned in to kiss him, soft and yielding.  
  
Geoff pulled away and Michael let him, watched as he gestured vaguely to his room and then walked into it, Michael following after.  
  
“So, uh. This is it. I uh- really didn’t plan this date actually,” Geoff said, scratching at his neck absently, “and I realize this all seems really… sketchy, we can just hang in the living room if you want-,”  
  
“Is this a mixtape?” Michael interrupted, picking up the tape that Geoff had left on his desk.  
  
“Uh, only if that’s not embarrassing. Is that embarrassing?” Geoff asked, heavily aware that the general public had bought into CDs heavily by now, while Geoff still held on to his mixtapes and vinyl records with everything he had.  
  
“Did you make it for yourself?” Michael asked, reading the scrawling script that covered the tape before popping it into the Walkman on the desk.  
  
“I uh, I did- I do. Sometimes. For me.” Geoff said, watching Michael idly. His fingers itched to grab the thing away from Michael, but his brain told him that people like to look at people’s things and this was how they did that.  
  
“It’s _a little_ embarrassing. Can I-?” Michael asked, already reaching for the headphones.  
  
“Uh which- which one is- yeah go for it,” Geoff asked, not sure which tape Michael had chosen, scared that he had picked one of the more fringe of Geoff’s mixtapes. The kind that were really only for people who had dyed their hair and ran away from home with a leather jacket and a few dollars to their name. As Geoff had.  
  
“What is this?” Michael said after a moment of listening to the song.  
  
Geoff leaned in so he could hear a snippet of the song, “Neutral Milk Hotel.” Not too much, he didn’t think, unless Michael had a penchant for paying attention to lyrics. Most people didn’t.  
  
“Mm.” Michael said, and fuck, Geoff kind of hated watching people listen to his music. He couldn’t really read Michael’s expression, but he rarely could, Michael was biting at his lower lip and nodding his head slightly. The nod doesn’t mean anything, Geoff had found over the years, people nod along to music because it’s something to do. But all the same, Michael was nodding, and Geoff could hear _Two-Headed Boy_ coming to a close, and he could probably count the freckles dotting Michael’s nose about now.  
  
“I like that.” Michael said simply, pulling the headphones off his head.  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“Yeah.” Michael smiled up at Geoff, “You keep making me think you’re nervous, it’s making me nervous stop it,” Michael chuckled, and went to sit on Geoff’s bed.  
  
Geoff licked his lips absently, tried to think about anything but the fact that Michael was on his bed, the whole thing was really jarring, and he was really starting to question the path his life was taking and how had arrived where he was. Before he could spiral into a crisis the likes of which a moody teen would emulate so their parents could understand that it wasn’t, _like, a phase mom, god_ , Michael had grabbed his wrist and pulled him onto the bed.  
  
“You get little lines between your eyebrows when you’re thinking a lot.” Michael said, and reached out to smooth the space between Geoff’s eyebrows with his thumb.  
  
“Oh.”  
  
“It’s cute and all, but I don’t want you to hurt yourself there,” Michael smiled, and Geoff laid back on the bed because he didn’t deserve that smile.  
  
“You don’t have to feel bad about not planning a thing for the date, I think we’re kinda past that anyway,” Michael said, leaning back until he was laying beside Geoff on the bed.  
  
“A quiz I took in a magazine once said that the best way to keep things fresh with- with someone is to uh. Keep planning cool dates.” Geoff said, remembering Cindy Crawford on the cover convincing him to pick it up at a grocery store.  
  
“What magazine?” Michael asked.  
  
“It was probably Cosmo.” Geoff said, because somehow telling Michael that he knew for sure it was Cosmo was worse.  
  
“You’re so gay.” Michael chuckled.  
  
“Thanks.” Geoff said for lack of an answer.  
  
“You’re the one who told me that people should just do what feels right. Shouldn’t we just do what feels right? Fuck the man, fuck the magazine?” Michael asked, voice lilting where he repeated Geoff’s words.  
  
“I uh- I did say that. Man, you really pay attention to me. I thought I paid a lot of attention to you, but you’re uh, kinda blowin’ me out of the water here.” Geoff said.  
  
“Geoff- shut up,” Michael said, and then he was sitting up and straddling Geoff gently.  
  
“Hm?” Geoff asked, heart racing at the change of pace.  
  
“Just shut up,” Michael said, and he leaned down to kiss him.  
  
Geoff made a low noise of surprise in the back of his throat, and Michael could almost laugh if he wasn’t so dedicated to kissing him. Michael’s mouth pressed feather light against Geoff’s as he tried to draw him out, tease him into taking the wheel. Geoff caught on like fire to drapery after just a second, hands pressing hotly first at Michael’s hips as he surged forward to catch Michael’s plush bottom lip between his teeth. Michael let out a whimper he’d later deny, breathing out heavily as Geoff’s hands traveled up beneath the hem of his t-shirt, even hotter against his bare skin. Michael gave as good as he got, licking into Geoff’s mouth wantonly as he started rocking in Geoff’s lap almost deviously. Geoff whined and pulled Michael impossibly closer, counting his teeth with his tongue delicate and delicious.  
  
Geoff pulled away and lifted Michael slightly so he could flip them so Michael was on his back on the bed, mattress bouncing creakily.  
  
“Is this okay?” Geoff asked, glancing at Michael’s face after his eyes had traitorously traveled up Michael’s disheveled form without asking.  
  
Michael looked up at him breathless and fucking sinful and nodded, “Yeah,” cheeks flushed and trailing pink down his neck, and Geoff _had_ to know if it continued down his chest. Geoff kissed Michael on the mouth once, rucking up his t-shirt so his chest was exposed, and then kissed a path down his jawline until he could suck kissmarks into the pale column of Michael’s neck.  
  
Michael writhed beneath him, _“Geoff,”_ and Geoff’s thumb rubbed over one of Michael’s nipples idly as his gaze shifted down to Michael’s chest- yes, it was flushed, and it was gorgeous. Geoff leaned down and pressed a kiss to the center of Michael’s chest, sucking a bit like he couldn’t fucking help it because, christ, he _couldn’t fucking help it._  
  
Which, of course, is when the phone rang.  
  
“Geoff,” Michael said when Geoff just continued kissing down Michael’s chest.  
  
“Geoff,” Michael repeated, a little more firmly, and Geoff groaned.  
  
“No, I don’t _wanna,”_ Geoff whined.  
  
“Go answer the phone.” Michael said sternly.  
  
“I’m busy!”  
  
“They’re just gonna keep calling.” Michael said, pulling Geoff’s head off of his chest by his hair and giving him a look while the phone continued to ring again and again.  
  
“Ugh, god, _fine,”_ Geoff grumbled, and went to go answer the godforsaken phone, possibly considering ripping it off the hook.  
  
Michael took a breather as Geoff walked out, pulled his shirt down and stared up at the ceiling where he was sure some deity was judging him for doing this after struggling with trying to tell Jeremy only hours ago. “Fuck you, God,” Michael mumbled, pressing his fingers against the places where Geoff’s mouth had kissed bruises. He knew it wasn’t the most aligned of decisions, but he was practically in a different dimension when he was with Geoff, and he had to be pragmatic or he’d fucking explode. These were just the facts.  
  
Michael cleared his head and settled for cataloguing things in Geoff’s room. He had a pile of books by the side of his bed, all dog-eared and beat to shit, like they had been reread a thousand times. There were a few records in a shelf on his desk, but Michael didn’t see a record player anywhere. He hummed to himself, the song that Geoff had let him listen to on the mixtape, and stared blankly at a poster that had probably been torn out of Playboy taped to Geoff’s opposite wall, until Geoff walked back into the room and leaned against the doorway.  
  
“What’s up?” Michael asked, and Geoff raised his eyebrows and grinned, holding up a little slip of paper between his fingers and waving it around.  
  
“I just found out what we’re doing tonight- if you’re into it.” Geoff said, head shaking a little as he tacked on the last part.  
  
Michael thought for a second before he realized that he really didn’t care where they went or what they did. He just wanted to be with Geoff while it happened. So it seemed counterintuitive to ask what it was and pretend to weigh it in his mind, because what was the fucking point after all? Was there a point to any charade of this?  
  
Was there a point to Michael pretending that there was a Geoff box in his mind he could open and close, when in reality his mind had _become_ the Geoff box and it was open for business? Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, no breaks on holidays type business too- the real shit. Michael took a deep breath as this all flitted through his mind in less than a second, blinked briefly at Geoff and said, “I’m into whatever you’re into, baby.”  
  
Geoff just smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyyyyyyy i'm a piece of shit but techincally TECHNICALLY it's sunday still so i'm not late  
> kinda  
> i hope y'all are ready for the next chapter bc uh, things!
> 
> lmao i hope you guys liked this one, if you did, leave kudos, or let me know what you think in the comments!  
> also, if you wanna bug me on tumblr uh [you can do that too](http://podcastandkill.tumblr.com/) ♥


	9. Chapter 9

Michael and Geoff exited the apartment building and Michael felt like it was the first breath of air he had taken since they had gotten there in the first place. He knew that he had been with Geoff alone plenty, but in the apartment it was hard not to feel like nothing existed outside of _them,_ and there were no consequences. It felt really good, and it was dangerous.  
  
Then again, Michael couldn’t tell if it was the apartment or just being _with Geoff,_ because as they walked down the sidewalk in the static of silence, Michael couldn’t stop staring. It was dark and freezing, and Geoff’s breaths were coming out visibly from between his lips and Michael wanted to consume the air from his lungs before the orange streetlights could swallow it away. Michael blinked and tore his eyes away, flexed his hands where the cold was turning them pink and numb, and tried not to think how much warmer holding Geoff’s hand would be.  
  
Soon they approached this dodgy looking house, and Geoff knocked twice, paused, and then once more before raising an eyebrow at Michael and saying, “Be cool.”  
  
“Yeah,” Michael breathed, still not really sure what he was walking into. Hadn’t even occurred to him to ask.  
  
The door opened and a dude with twice Geoff’s intimidation and half his tattoos opened the door. Michael glanced at Geoff as he nodded to the guy and pointed at Michael, “He’s with me.”  
  
The guy raised his eyebrows vaguely and opened the door the rest of the way, and it was only once Michael stepped inside that he felt the vibration of the music in the soles of his feet. Geoff grabbed his hand easily as they walked through the house until they got to a door in a nook under the stairs.  
  
“So uh- a couple of bands are playing in this basement tonight, the kind of thing where you have to know somebody to get in,” Geoff said, looking at Michael with an excited glint in his eye as he reached for the doorknob.  
  
Michael let out a half-laugh, still nervous because Geoff was holding his hand in this semi-public place, letting out, “Okay,” at the end of his laugh, and it kind of sounded like a question.  
  
“It’s- it’s definitely a punk show, but I-,” Geoff started.  
  
“Geoff,” Michael said, stopping him with a hand on his chest, “I’m into it, c’mon let’s go,” he laughed out. Geoff grinned and leaned down to kiss Michael passionately but quickly, chasing the breath out of Michael and leaving him dazed before he opened the door to a wall of sound.  
  
Michael’s first thought was that he had never really been to a concert before, and his second was that there was sure a lot of fucking people who knew the right person to get into this show. He had no idea how many people were usually at these things, but the place was an ocean of dancing people, pressed tightly against one another. It was actually a really impressive setup considering this was some poor bastard’s basement, colored lights flashing between blue then purple then pink over the crowd, sound system blaring just on the fringe of deafening as the band on stage stomped around.  
  
Geoff pulled him into the basement and closed the door behind them, Michael’s heart racing as Geoff didn’t let go of his hand while pulling him in between the people who were leaning against the railing lining the stairs. Michael had an urge to pull away from Geoff’s hand so they couldn’t see, but he suddenly realized- no one cared. They were smoking and talking and not even sending a second glance Michael and Geoff’s way as they descended the stairway. More than that- there were boys kissing at the foot of the stairs, and Michael’s heart rate picked up. This place was safe.  
  
When they got to the bottom of the steps Geoff stopped and looked at Michael and smiled like he was asking Michael what he was thinking. All Michael could do was laugh, lost in the drown of music and dancing and shouting, and throw his arms around Geoff’s neck, kissing stars into his eyes with the force of it. Geoff’s arms wound around his waist and pulled them tightly together, and Michael could feel his heart on the verge of bursting.  
  
Michael had only ever been kissed in private before.  
  
And it felt stupid and silly, that this meant so fucking much, but Michael was so god damn happy. He laughed against Geoff’s mouth, held him impossibly closer by his hold around his neck, felt warm and safe in a crowd of strangers, and it was a first. It was amazing. Geoff was smiling at him when Michael gave enough room for Geoff to look in his eyes again, and god Michael wanted to know what the smile meant, but it felt like it was just for Michael. The lights washed over them pink purple pausing longer on blue, like a spotlight on them that did the opposite when they were shrouded in its light. They were anonymous and unwatched and alone and together.  
  
Michael laughed again and let Geoff pull him into the crowd of dancing people, the lights casting a scene of leather and brightly colored hair and tattered jeans as Geoff found a space packed tight against other people. Michael was still holding close to him, kind of lost to the assault on his senses- leather and cotton and unfamiliar skin brushing against him again and again where he stood, so much that it started to feel more natural when they were touching him than in the spaces in between when they weren’t, these strangers.  
  
Geoff held Michael’s face between his hands until Michael looked at him again, sure his face was hot and his eyes were awestruck. Geoff kissed his forehead and Michael couldn’t even think, they were just standing together in this tide of hot skin.  
  
“What is he saying?” Michael yelled into Geoff’s ear and Geoff let out a laugh.  
  
“The song?” Geoff asked, and Michael nodded distractedly. Geoff took a second for the song to register and then leaned in, to half-yell in Michael’s ear though it might as well have been a whisper, “This kid came from a shit home, trying to make ends meet. Doesn’t fit in, and people are just… waiting for him to fail.”  
  
Geoff leans away with a somber look on his face, a half-smile, and Michael’s hand comes up to run through Geoff’s hair, comforting somehow.  
  
“Does he?” Michael says, and Geoff blinks.  
  
“Hm?”  
  
“Does he fail?” Michael asks again.  
  
Geoff pauses, knows that the end of the song describes the kid’s death and instead says, “That’s up to him.”  
  
Michael barely hears Geoff over the instrumental, but he kisses him anyway, soft and quiet, like someone lowered the volume just for a moment around them. Geoff rests his head against Michael’s when they break apart and Michael doesn’t blame Geoff for consuming him, every part of him and taking up the spaces that Michael hadn’t thought about for a while- maybe ever. He doesn’t even know if he can blame _himself,_ Geoff was like a campfire that Michael had sat in front of for hours- he comes home smelling like smoke, and it won’t leave his hair, his clothes, his skin. He sleeps in his bed and the sheets end up smelling like smoke too.  
  
Geoff smiles, so Michael smiles and then by Geoff’s hold they’re swaying to a different beat than the song, but christ, Michael was never a dancer. He kinda tries to wiggle out of it, and of course that only makes Geoff hold him closer, and then they’re properly slow dancing- high school style, back when all the straight guys were asking their girlfriends to go steady.  
  
“I’ve never slow danced before,” Michael yelled, and Geoff spun them around a little while he took a second to think.  
  
“I’ve never slow danced sober before,” Geoff said with a laugh, and Michael laughed into his shoulder, tried his best not to step all over Geoff’s feet.  
  
They danced like that until the end of the song, Michael inevitably mumbling sorrys into Geoff’s neck for stepping on his feet now and then, but if Geoff noticed he didn’t say. The music switched to DJ while the next band set up, the song a little quicker and then Geoff and Michael weren’t really slow dancing anymore. At all. Michael’s arms wound tighter around Geoff’s neck while Geoff pulled him closer by the waist, sliding a thigh between Michael’s legs like it was natural, like they’d done it a million fucking times.  
  
Geoff’s hands slid slowly to Michael’s hips as he rolled his hips against him slowly, testing the waters and practically punching Michael’s breath out of his chest as he did. Michael gasped in a breath and leaned up to kiss Geoff, all tongue and teeth nipping at Geoff’s mouth teasingly as they grinded against each other. Michael wondered how anyone called this dancing as Geoff nibbled his way down his jawline to his neck. Michael was hard, and there was no hiding it, not with the way that they were pressed up against one another, and Michael was going crazy on the adrenaline of it all. People were pressed up against them on all sides and Michael was practically riding Geoff’s thigh, letting out little huffs of breath that could be whimpers if the room wasn’t so loud.  
  
Michael leaned in closer and sucked a mark high on Geoff’s neck, kissed his way up to his ear, bit at it on impulse as the friction got particularly sweet against his dick, even through the layers of clothing. _“Fuck,”_ Michael whined right up against Geoff’s ear and suddenly his back hit a wall, though he hadn’t even registered that they were moving before.  
  
Geoff let out a moan that rumbled deep in his throat, his hand slid down the length of Michael’s thigh until he reached his knee, hitching it up so that they pressed against each other fully. Geoff rolled their hips together, and Michael was glad for the wall because he probably would have fallen at the wave of arousal that washed over him at the perfect pressure against his dick. His head knocked against the wall and he watched Geoff through half-lidded eyes, colored lights making him seem ethereal, larger than life. He could feel Geoff’s hardness against him, and fuck this was a lot, it was a lot.  
  
Geoff, seemingly sensing the shift, kissed Michael softly, “You good? This okay?”  
  
Michael kissed him again to let him know that it _was_ good, god it was good, but nonetheless, “I need a drink.”  
  
“Okay,” Geoff said, shifting away in an easy movement and offering Michael a hand after they had not-so-subtly adjusted themselves.  
  
Michael took it gratefully and let Geoff lead him through people to the bar, wooden like maybe it actually belonged to the house, and Michael was glad to have it to lean on. Geoff flagged down the bartender with a nod, and Michael wondered how he did that so easily.  
  
“Yeah, I’ll have a water and a-?” Geoff glanced sidelong at Michael.  
  
“Uh, Jack and coke- a double,” Michael said off-handedly, though he really mostly drank beer.  
  
Geoff smiled like he knew that already, and nodded again at the bartender, slipping a few bills across the bar. Michael turned around and leaned backward against the bar while Geoff continued to face the bar as the man got their drinks.  
  
Geoff handed Michael his drink and opened his water bottle, watching with thinly veiled amusement as Michael sniffed the drink and scrunched up his face briefly.  
  
“You like whiskey?” Geoff said amusedly, and Michael didn’t see the point in a blatant lie.  
  
“Nope,” Michael said, and downed the half the drink in one swig, grimaced, and then downed the rest. Geoff let out a shocked sound, set his water on the bar as if pausing to say something, but then Michael was kissing him, deep and dirty, and fuck. Not exactly a fair fight.  
  
Geoff pulled away from the kiss with a giggle, put his hands on Michael’s shoulders, “Michael, we- uh we don’t have to do anything,” Geoff said, ducking a bit to catch Michael’s gaze beneath the fan of his lashes.  
  
“I know,” Michael said, jutting his chin up like it was a challenge, “I want to.”  
  
His hands found themselves on Geoff’s chest, fingertips touching where Geoff’s collarbone tattoos were, he knew though he couldn’t see them. The memory gave him goosebumps, and his hands creeped up the collar of Geoff’s shirt, tugging at it until the ink was visible, and he pressed a kiss there.  
  
Geoff pursed his lips and glanced away as he pulled his collar back up, blushing along his neck and making the fresh marks Michael had left blend with the color. Geoff leaned down and captured Michael’s mouth in a teasing kiss, pulling away right when Michael was starting to forget where they were again. Geoff bit his lip and nodded to himself, took Michael’s hand and lead the way to god knows where.  
  
Michael was dazed by the flurry of people they brushed past, but it didn’t tame his arousal, if anything the sensory overload was egging him on, and he let his fingernails bite into the palm of Geoff’s hand. Before he could complain, Geoff had led them to a door, glanced in briefly and then pulled himself and Michael into the room, closing and locking the door behind them.  
  
The music muffled, but not by a lot, and Michael registered that they were in a bathroom, entirely distracted by the heady look in Geoff’s eyes.  
  
Geoff took a few steps back for a second, seemingly to give Michael time to change his mind, but Michael just as quickly grabs for Geoff’s t-shirt and kisses him messy and desperate and whining high in the back of his throat. Geoff pressed him against the door with his body, pulled away, “Can I suck you off?” Geoff asked, tilting Michael’s chin up and punctuating his sentence with a nip at his lower lip.  
  
“God, _please?”_ Michael moaned, and Geoff responded with a rough kiss, stubble wearing away at Michael’s face steadily that somehow burned in a good way.  
  
“I aim to please,” Geoff breathed out when they pulled apart, and sunk to his knees immediately. Michael’s head knocked back against the door at the sight of it, Geoff’s mouth pink and slicked by Michael’s saliva. His gaze was trained on Michael’s crotch as his fingers slipped beneath the waistline of his pants, teasing him before popping the button on the jeans and slowly tugging at the zipper. He looked at Michael like he was a feast and all Geoff wanted to do was devour him until there was nothing fucking left. Michael would let him, without question.  
  
Geoff hummed to himself as he pulled down Michael’s jeans past his knees, could see the blurb of precome that had wet Michael’s- boxer briefs, as Geoff had imagined. His hands ran up and down Michael’s thighs, god they were so pale and warm, and Michael shivered at the contact. Geoff couldn’t help himself, lunged for the inseam of Michael’s thighs and pressed hungry kisses into the flesh, biting even, desperate to mark them up as they so begged to be.  
  
It was a wonderful time for Geoff to find out that Michael wasn’t just loud when he talked.  
  
_“Fuck!_ Oh fuck _fuck-_ please Geoff they’re- _mm,_ they’re- _sensitive-,”_ Michael whimpered, a litany of curses falling from his lips as easily as breathing.  
  
Geoff hummed against Michael’s skin, sucked hard to pull another moan from Michael, and he filed the information away. He pulled away to admire his work and looked up at Michael who was completely flushed, biting his lip.  
  
“I’m gonna take care of you baby,” Geoff said quietly, and Michael whimpered. Geoff pulled down Michael’s underwear quickly, freeing Michael’s dripping cock from the confines. Geoff took him in hand and just briefly admired it, not wanting to make Michael self-conscious.  
  
He jacked Michael for a moment, just enjoying the moans it elicited from Michael, using his precome to slick the way a bit. Geoff liked the way the tattoos on his hand made the act look, contrasting, pleasing to the eye. His mind briefly remembered that he wasn’t exactly fond of giving blowjobs, but somehow that had no bearing on him at the moment, because his mouth was positively fucking watering for it. He wanted it heavy and heady in his mouth, he wanted it more than he wanted to come himself, and it was new. Geoff liked it.  
  
Geoff opened his mouth and let the head of Michael’s dick sit on his tongue for a moment, just knew that Michael would like the look of it and, “God- _fuck!”_ he did. Geoff sucked the head into his mouth and suckled on it, letting his tongue lick against the slit.  
  
“Geoff- _Geoff!_ I- oh _god_ can I-?” Michael put his hands in Geoff’s hair hesitantly, and Geoff hummed encouragement, pulled off of Michael’s cock briefly to gather himself when Michael started to pull.  
  
“Is this okay?” Michael asked, and Geoff took a breath.  
  
“Way more than okay- yes,” Geoff said, pressing the heel of his hand against his cock through his jeans to relieve some pressure. Michael tugged again, and Geoff took him back into his mouth, sliding down much further, mouth sloppy with saliva and precome.  
  
“God- god _damn_ it,” Michael moaned, echoing against the walls of the bathroom like a song that Geoff couldn’t get out of his head.  
  
Geoff sucked him off messy and slick, tongue sliding against the vein on the underside of his cock thoroughly and wrenching heartbreaking moans from Michael’s mouth. Geoff let the tip of his tongue catch on the ridge at the head of Michael’s cock and then sunk down unexpectedly, all the way, nose pressed against the softness of Michael’s lower belly.  
  
_“Oh shit-_ christ, yes _yes yes,”_ Michael all but yelled, holding Geoff where he was, feeling his throat flutter against his cock beautifully.  
  
Geoff let himself choke on it a little bit, that was for him, liked how it made his cock jump, but it of course made Michael pull away to give Geoff’s throat a rest. Geoff went back in doubly, mouthing down the side of Michael’s cock wetly, kissing down the shaft and licking over Michael’s balls then trailing back up.  
  
“You’re- _ah please,_ you’re _perfect_ you’re- _ah-!”_ Michael yelled, tugging at Geoff’s hair harshly as Geoff suckled messily at the head of his cock again.  
  
Geoff hummed against him, and Michael let out a gasp, another, eyes closed, “I’m- oh god _oh fuck-_ I’m- I’m _coming-,”_ Michael moaned, feeling the heat wash over his body as his stomach coiled tightly.  
  
Geoff hummed pleasurably, and that was it for Michael, he gasped out, _“Geoff!”_ and came like a freight train, moaning endlessly into the open air, thrusting until he was completely spent. Geoff swallowed and started to stand, but Michael sunk to his knees in front of him, kissing him dirty and breathless, licking into his mouth like he was chasing the taste, making a noise of discontent like he had wished Geoff had saved some for him.  
  
Michael’s hand went for Geoff’s crotch, pressing insistently where he was still hard, but Geoff took the hand away. Michael pulled away from the kiss to pout, and Geoff just smiled, come-happy and so out of it, “It’s okay- let’s, let’s get you cleaned up yeah?”  
  
He pressed a kiss to Michael’s pulse point and then stood, pulling Michael up with him. He tucked Michael back into his jeans and then zipped him up and buttoned his jeans again, smoothed his shirt. In a way, the process of it was stirring Michael’s arousal again, though he could only vaguely comprehend it. He kissed Geoff again, pushing up on his tip-toes so Geoff wouldn’t have to lean down so much and sucking Geoff’s lower lip into his mouth insatiably.  
  
When Michael released him, Geoff let out a shaky breath, nearly a laugh, “What are you _doing_ to me?”  
  
Michael smiled, awestruck by the moment- muffled music hammering the walls of the place, Geoff’s smile- and said, “I’m keeping you.”  
  
“You can only keep me if I can keep you,” Geoff said contemplatively, an inked hand coming up to Michael’s face. His thumb brushed over Michael’s cheekbone while he stared at Geoff’s chest.  
  
“You already had me,” Michael said.  
  
Geoff kissed him softly, “You wanna get out of here?”  
  
Michael nodded, and Geoff led him out of the bathroom with a warm hand interlaced with his. They moved through the crowd of people and then up the stairs, Michael throwing a final glance over his shoulder at the place. Knew he probably wouldn’t go to another place like it for a while.  
  
Michael released Geoff’s hand as they left the house, hands gone cold again as they trekked the streets headed in the direction of Geoff’s place now. They bumped shoulders every once in a while, Michael stumbling a little bit as the drink finally hit him. Geoff chuckled and put and arm around Michael’s shoulder, helped him stay upright as they arrived at the apartment building.  
  
By the time they reached the top of the stairs and Geoff let them into his apartment, Michael was fucking blasted, giggling and stumbling into Geoff’s room. Geoff followed after him, letting Michael kiss him sloppily as they tumbled onto the bed. Geoff soaked in the feeling, Michael’s hands finding their way under Geoff’s shirt and clawing down Geoff’s back.  
  
Geoff pulled away with a nervous laugh as his dick twitched at the contact of it, “You- you’re drunk.” He had brought them to the apartment because he knew Ryan would be out all night, but it seemed for naught with Michael this fucked up. It was nice to have Michael in the space anyway, made him feel soft and comfortable in a way that being alone in his room just didn’t cut it. He sighed and glanced at Michael again.  
  
“Yeah? You’re sober- are we just… pointin’ things out?” Michael said, giggling.  
  
Geoff shook his head and shucked his jacket, and Michael stole it from his hands, fingers running over the patches sewn into the fabric.  
  
“Where d’you get these?” Michael slurred, pointing at the patches.  
  
“I- uh,” Geoff paused, “I made them.”  
  
“Really? How?” Michael asked, and Geoff reached in the drawer of his nightstand and came up with a patch he was in the middle of sewing. Michael held the thing delicately, and let a finger run over the soft threads.  
  
“This is beautiful,” Michael said, and Geoff laughed bashfully.  
  
“Okay- do you want me to take you home?” Geoff asked, but Michael ignored him, standing up and wandering around the room.  
  
Michael fiddled with the items strewn about Geoff’s dresser, turning around and snickering with the picture of Geoff Ryan had taken with blood running down from his freshly pierced ear.  
  
“Memories,” Geoff shrugged. Michael continued looking through Geoff’s things, and so Geoff just put on the radio and laid back on his bed, staring at the ceiling.  
  
“You listen to this station?” Michael asked, looking at Geoff with a squint, and Geoff laughed.  
  
“Yeah- I like to hear the message requests,” Geoff said, and as if on cue, the radio presenter spoke up.  
  
_“This message goes out to Vic- man, Jenny wants you to stop calling her. This one’s for Jenny,”_ he said, and Geoff laughed as _Don’t Speak_ started playing.  
  
“I like the apolog- the apo- the fuckin’ ones where they say sorry,” Michael stuttered out, and Geoff hummed, still staring at the ceiling.  
  
Suddenly Geoff had a lap full of Michael, and he sighed, “C’mon, let’s get you home.”  
  
**  
  
They stood in the alley by the dorm and Michael was kissing the life out of Geoff, so long that Geoff had no idea how long they’d been there, and he had Michael pressed up against the building filthily. When he pulled away Michael was breathing heavily, looking completely fucked out and wanton, and Geoff had to turn away for a second to compose himself.  
  
“Fuck,” Geoff muttered, and Michael chuckled.  
  
“Still want me to go home?” Michael teased, his hand sliding up Geoff’s thigh.  
  
Geoff let out a laugh and stopped Michael’s hand despite his pout, “Yes, I want you to go home and sober up and sleep. And then I wanna see you again when your head is clear.”  
  
“Boring,” Michael whined, “but fine. I’m gonna fucking call you.”  
  
“You better.” Geoff said, kissing him briefly and pulling away before they were there for another hour. Michael scrunched up his face, stuck out his tongue and walked away, stumbling a bit.  
  
Geoff watched him until he entered the building, and then let out a breath like he had been holding it in all night. He had to get out of this thing with Ryan, like fucking soon. Like yesterday. He had avoided thinking about it all night, but he was falling for Michael hard, and there was no time to fuck around with wondering what he should do anymore. Geoff took a deep breath as his thoughts raced and headed back to his place.  
  
He cared about Michael a lot, and if this stupid thing with Ryan messed it up, Geoff would never forgive himself. Ryan and Michael would never work anyway, Geoff was sure of it. Sure, Ryan had raw sex appeal, but Michael wasn’t really about that, not upfront. Geoff would venture to say that Michael didn’t really do one-night stands, and Ryan’s plan was caput at that- no matter what fake heartbreak Geoff would’ve put him through.  
  
It shouldn’t be that big of a deal anyway, it’s a weirdly stilted one-night stand, it’s not like Ryan was fully going for it with Michael. At this point, Geoff had way more of an investment in Michael than Ryan ever had, and that fucking meant something.  
  
Geoff felt his stomach curl at the idea of confronting Ryan about it, especially since he’d been practically avoiding him for weeks. He took a breath as he entered his apartment, glad that Ryan was gone for the night so he could think without all his headspace being invaded. He sat at his desk and started drafting what he should say on a yellow legal pad, tired but happy that he would be moving forward soon.  
  
He had to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey! totally not late this time!
> 
> hope y'all liked this one, next chapter is next week, so that's cool!
> 
> if you did like it, leave kudos if you haven't already, or leave me a comment letting me know what you think!!!!! ♥


	10. Chapter 10

Michael woke up with the stupidest smile plastered on his face. He took his shower, brushed his teeth, got dressed, and the smile wouldn’t fucking go. Every time he blinked his mind broadcasted images of the blindingly colored basement and Geoff’s eyes, or something equally ridiculous. Blink, Geoff’s Walkman- blink, the pile of novels next to his bed- blink, Geoff sinking to his knees and sucking kisses into his thighs. Michael rubbed absently at the bruises there now, trying to get homework done in his room, and his smile remained.  
  
Even listening to the fucking radio had him reeling, wondering if Geoff was listening as well, if he was also singing along with a tired throat, _“You know I’m such a fool for youuu,”_ and mumbling the rest. No, Geoff was the kind of detailed bastard who knew all the words. Michael laughed to himself, tossed his pencil into the air when he realized nothing was gonna get done. Not now, not while his mind was occupied to all hell. He had to do something. Say something.  
  
The smile faded when he came to terms with it, and he couldn’t have that, so he got up and made it something to tick off of a list. He had to get this done now, because putting it off wasn’t fucking doing anything for anyone. He needed to do this, not just for Jeremy who had to know the truth, but for Geoff- he didn’t deserve this. Michael wanted to be able to smile when he thought about Geoff without any baggage, without anxieties creeping up his back.  
  
“Jeremy!” he yelled as he crossed the hall to Jeremy’s room, opening the door without warning.  
  
Jeremy had headphones on, plugged into a CD player sitting on his desk while he was on the computer. Michael stood there for a moment, ready to backtrack and wait just a little longer to fuck this all up. It was inevitable though, and Michael really couldn’t fucking keep this churning inside of him anymore. He closed the door behind him, sat on the bed and just started talking.  
  
“Jeremy, man, I can’t keep doing this to you. Geoff- blue eyes- man,” Michael sighed, glad Jeremy hadn’t turned around yet, so he could spill his guts before he saw a reaction, “He- well. We hit it off. Really well. Like _way too well,_ and now, man, I can’t give him up. Not right now- I, well. I really like him. Like for real.”  
  
Michael took a brief breath and continued, trying to get it all out quick, “And I’m so fucking sorry, and I’ll pay you back all the money, just- god, just say you hate me, fuck.”  
  
Michael braced for impact, scrunched up his face and stared at the floor. He saw Jeremy’s desk chair turn slowly, and he took a steadying breath.  
  
“Oh Michael, christ. How long have you been sitting there?” Jeremy pulled his headphones off and blinked all doe-eyed at Michael. Michael opened his mouth to say something, but only a laugh came out, curling over himself before groaning in near-pain about having to say it all again. Jeremy laughed along in confusion, and Michael held a hand up gesturing that he was going to explain.  
  
“Jeremy.” Michael started, and Jeremy raised his eyebrows, “I know we had a deal, about- about Geoff, blue eyes- whatever. Him.” Jeremy nodded his understanding.  
  
“I can’t go through with it,” Michael said in a breath, staring at the sheets, “I _like_ him. I didn’t expect it- you know I wouldn’t do this to you if I could stop it, but man- he hit me like a god damn brick wall.”  
  
“Michael-,” Jeremy started, but Michael barely heard him as he talked over his voice.  
  
“I’m so fucking sorry Jeremy, I’ll give the money back, I- I’ll make it up to you-,” Michael said, trying to cover all his bases.  
  
“Michael-,”  
  
“God, don’t kick my ass,” Michael interrupted again, “I would let you, but I’d probably die and that would be so shitty-,”  
  
“Michael!” Jeremy yelled, waving his hands in front of Michael to get his attention, “It’s okay, man.”  
  
“No it, I- wh- wait what?” Michael shook his head in confusion, looked up to finally look Jeremy in the eyes. Jeremy looked a little sheepish, shrugged at Michael with a half-smile.  
  
“It’s really okay, dude. I kinda, uh- I met someone?” Jeremy said, rubbing at the back of his neck idly.  
  
“Wh- fucking _what_ dude? When?” Michael said, moving to sit closer to the bed in interest, his own tirade of apologies pushed aside.  
  
“I should’ve told you, I was honestly like- embarrassed?” Jeremy said.  
  
“You- _embarrassed-_ what? I’m fucking lost, dude, _what?”_ Michael narrowed his eyes, blinking as he tried to puzzle Jeremy’s words together.  
  
“I met this guy… maybe like after your second date with- Geoff?” Michael nodded, and Jeremy continued, “But I had made like such a big fuckin’ deal out of this favor? And I didn’t- I dunno it’s stupid honestly. I knew you were hard-up for cash and-,”  
  
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Michael said, shackles raising. He stepped off the bed, breaths coming harder as he considered pushing at Jeremy, fucking, doing something. Jeremy held up a hand and rolled backward on the chair to put some space between them.  
  
“No, please don’t be mad- it was a win-win- I didn’t wanna seem like I was a fucking flake, and you got paid!” Jeremy said, a wavering smile deliberating crossing his face.  
  
“I’m not your little charity case, asshole,” Michael said, taking a step toward Jeremy, and Jeremy rose from his chair, hands still up defensively. Michael knew that Jeremy could take him in a fight easily, but this- easy intimidation- was something Michael had over him, over most people.  
  
“I know dude- I know, but I’m not gonna lie to you, man. It was mostly to cover my own ass, and you just,” Jeremy let his hands fall, “happened to benefit. And you’re with Geoff now, and that’s cool right?”  
  
At the mention of Geoff, Michael visibly softened, shoulders relaxing minutely, “Yeah. Yeah, okay.” He let out another harsh breath, “I’m gonna pay you back.”  
  
“That’s fair.” Jeremy said immediately, nodding.  
  
“Don’t- don’t fucking play games with me like that, dude.” Michael said, leaning back against the bed again.  
  
“You’re right, yeah.” Jeremy said, nodding to himself for a moment before looking up at Michael again, “We cool?”  
  
Michael rolled his eyes and let out a chuckle, “Like the other side of the pillow, dipshit.”  
  
Jeremy grinned, “I fucking love it when you say that.”  
  
“That’s the only reason I say it, you fucking loser.” Michael said, smiling helplessly.  
  
“Aw, love you too buddy,” Jeremy said, reaching up to try and ruffle Michael’s hair but failing when Michael slapped his hand away.  
  
The bedroom door swung open and Ray stood in the doorway with a bowl of cereal, _“Wazzaaa’_ dicks? I’m tired of listening in, let me in on the _hot goss.”_ He walked in and sat on the bed, and Michael glanced at Jeremy vaguely.  
  
“No,” Michael snickered.  
  
“It’s boring Ray, honestly.” Jeremy continued, pushing his chair back in front of his desk.  
  
“Wow, I love my fucking loser roommates who only talk to each other.” Ray deadpanned, and they only chuckled.  
  
“Build a bridge and get over it, dude.” Michael said, stealing a cheerio from Ray’s bowl as he walked past him out of the room, “Is _Friends_ on?”  
  
“No.” Ray pouted, paused for a moment before following them out, “Yes.”  
  
They all piled onto the couch, Michael feeling intense relief after the whole thing with Jeremy. He tried to play it cool while they watched TV, but his leg was bouncing like crazy and he had to force himself to keep it to just that. He glanced in the direction of the kitchen about a hundred fucking times, staring at the phone.  
  
He had told Geoff he would call.  
  
**  
  
Geoff startled himself awake with a snore, found himself slumped over on his desk with a mess of papers beneath him. He couldn’t have been asleep long, he remembered it being five in the morning for a while and now it was just after eleven. He groaned and stretched out his shoulders, grimacing at the written-out drafts of trying to explain this fucked situation to Ryan. For all of his efforts, he was only now sure this wasn’t going to go well. Or maybe it would be easy.  
  
It probably wasn’t going to be easy.  
  
Easy or not, Geoff wasn’t going to give up Michael, not this easy. Michael made his heart warm and his limbs loose, he made music sound better and Geoff hadn’t had this before. Geoff had breezed through the times in between his dates with Michael, their phone calls. He would come home and be struck with the urge to do something for Michael, write him a poem, make him a mix tape, find one of Geoff’s favorite books and give it to him. He could lay in bed stupidly grinning at the ceiling thinking about a joke Michael had made once for hours, seemingly.  
  
So whatever went down with Ryan wasn’t just peripheral, it was fucking necessary.  
  
Geoff stood and went to the bathroom, washed his face with cool water and tried to pull it together. The charade, it was falling apart, and he was way the fuck out of time. If he waited any longer, Ryan would be expecting it to be over. That wasn’t going to happen, Geoff was going to make sure of it. This thing between him and Michael was real, and Ryan didn’t deserve to get his way just because of this stupid deal. Geoff didn’t want the money anyway. Not anymore.  
  
He considered calling Jack when he walked out of the bathroom, but Ryan was sitting in the living room when he came out. Now or never. Geoff walked up and turned off the TV, and Ryan gestured annoyedly at him with a hand. Geoff sat on the couch next to Ryan and stared at the floor wordlessly for a second, trying to pull some magical combination of words out of his head.  
  
Ryan tilted his head as he stared at Geoff, “What’s up Geoff, I was kinda-,”  
  
“The deal’s off.” Geoff interrupted, abrupt. He winced a little to himself, but if he didn’t get to the point they’d be sitting here all god damn day.  
  
“… What?”  
  
“The deal,” Geoff said, pulling out his wallet and putting the money on the couch between them, “It’s off. I’m done.”  
  
Ryan scoffed, “You’re done? What does that mean, you don’t wanna take the guy out anymore?”  
  
“No, I’m gonna keep taking him out. I’m just not doing it for you anymore.” Geoff said, resolutely staring at the floor.  
  
“I’m sorry- what?” Ryan asked, brows knitting together.  
  
“This whole thing was sketchy to start with, but now I care about him and there’s no way I’m dumping him so you can-,” Geoff gestured vaguely, “Whatever.”  
  
“You _care_ about him?” Ryan sat more upright, “Geoff, you’re straight.”  
  
Geoff sighed, loud in their apartment, and god it was too god damn quiet, “As it turns out, maybe not.” Then, as if the universe heard Geoff’s thoughts, the phone started to ring, somehow only making the discussion heavier.  
  
_“ ‘Maybe not’ ?”_ Ryan said harshly, “What the hell are you talking about?”  
  
“I don’t have to tell you everything.” Geoff said, glancing at Ryan now. Seeing his face made Geoff think that he should have maybe started with the whole ‘not straight’ thing, and then worked his way up to breaking the deal. He just was utterly uninterested in listing his sexual history just to provide some kind of what? Proof? He shouldn’t have to fucking defend himself, he made decisions, and none of them had anything to do with Ryan.  
  
“What?” Ryan said, standing up.  
  
“Why are you making this so hard?” Geoff sighed, hand running through his hair and tugging to keep him grounded.  
  
“I’m not doing _anything,_ I was under the impression that you were straight and we had a deal, but it seems like I was wrong. Twice.” Ryan said, voice coming harsher. The phone stopped ringing, and Geoff wasn’t sure if he was relieved or on edge by the change.  
  
“I-,”  
  
“So you’ve just been gay the whole time. You lied to me.” Ryan interrupted, and Geoff stood up now.  
  
“I didn’t lie to anyone, I just didn’t fucking correct you.” Geoff said, fists clenching and unclenching.  
  
“I’m supposed to be your friend.” Ryan said, quieter now.  
  
“We are friends Ryan!” Geoff yelled, tired with the slew of accusations, “I know you have this perfect little dichotomy in your head where everything goes your way- but, life isn’t like that!”  
  
“Oh so this is my fault now, for wanting things to be normal?” Ryan shot back, voice raising.  
  
“I- It’s not your fault-,” Geoff started, and Ryan interrupted.  
  
“Were you just keeping it from me, or from everyone?” Ryan asked, eyes hard when Geoff struggled to answer, “If I pick up the phone and call Jack, is this news to him?”  
  
Geoff sighed, let his head slump forward and then straightened back up, “No. He knows.”  
  
“Does Gavin know?” Ryan continued, tendons in his neck straining.  
  
Geoff bit his lip and looked away, and Ryan laughed coldly, “This is a fucking joke.”  
  
“Maybe to you it is, but I really care about Michael-,” Geoff started, and Ryan cut him off again.  
  
“Michael? Oh, so you’re telling me his name now?” Ryan laughed out, nodding and looking away from Geoff with a sniff, “God- are we even friends?”  
  
“Don’t do this.” Geoff said. Ryan turned back to him with anger and pain written on his face, and Geoff didn’t fucking want this. All he was trying to fucking do was prevent this, but now it seems like he was just trying to protect himself, protect Michael.  
  
“Do what? Am I not allowed to be hurt? I’m the last to know my best friend’s biggest secret, I’ll just get over it.” Ryan said sarcastically, banging his fist on the back of the couch.  
  
“It’s not a secret-,” Geoff said, and Ryan scoffed, “Ryan please, you and Michael- you- you’d never work, he isn’t like you,”  
  
Ryan nodded exaggeratedly, “He’s not _like me_ okay, I see- so he’s like _you?”_  
  
“Well- yeah,” Geoff said, quiet.  
  
“Going nowhere? Wasting time fucking around at clubs, skipping class?” Ryan said, voice stern, and Geoff took a step back at the authoritative tone of his voice. Like every adult figure that had ever talked down to Geoff.  
  
“Fuck you, Ryan.” Geoff said, voice a little strained now.  
  
“So- what, you just thought it would be funny to take the money from me and fuck the guy I was talking to?” Ryan said loudly, and Geoff winced before he just broke.  
  
“Are you fucking- is that what you want me to say? Fine, yeah Ryan. That’s what I did. I took your fucking money- I don’t even care about Michael. Just wanted quick cash.” Geoff said, “Is it over now? Can we stop this?”  
  
“I can’t fucking believe you.” Ryan said, voice tight.  
  
“I’m sorry, okay? For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.” Geoff said, looking away with misty eyes. This was worse, a lot worse than he imagined it going.  
  
“Yeah? You’re _sorry,_ okay that’s great. Enjoy your time with _Michael,_ as soon as I find out who he is I’m gonna fucking tell him everything.” Ryan said coldly, and Geoff couldn’t tell if he was lying.  
  
“What- no. Why would you do that? No, no I-,” Geoff started, rushing to Ryan and shoving him instinctively, stumbling backward when Ryan shoved back.  
  
“No need.” A voice broke the silence, startling them.  
  
Ryan and Geoff turned to the doorway, and Geoff felt like all of the blood had been drained out of his body leaving him cold. It was Michael.  
  
It was Michael and the seconds felt like hours, all Geoff wanted to do was run up to him and erase all of this fucking shit, all of the pain. Michael’s eyes were glassy like it was taking every ounce of control not to start crying, and Geoff never ever wanted to see Michael cry. Geoff wanted to go back in time and stop to apologize to the guy whose coffee he spilled, offer to take him to a coffee shop to get him another. Miss class and spend the morning bumming around with him, smoking and laughing and talking and kissing. Instead Michael was standing in his doorway looking like someone punched him in the gut, and Geoff couldn’t fucking fix it. He couldn’t fucking fix it. And it was killing him.  
  
“Michael-,” Geoff started, voice hoarse.  
  
“I uh- I tried to call.” Michael chuckled dryly, and a single tear rolled down his cheek. He sniffed briefly and looked away as he dried the tear with the sleeve of his sweater.  
  
“Michael, let me explain-” Geoff let out, walking forward but stopping when Michael stumbled backward in a panicky kind of pace.  
  
“Don’t-,” Michael started, looking away again as another tear rolled down his cheek, “ don’t fucking bother. I heard enough.”  
  
“No, wait _please,_ don’t-,” Geoff rushed toward him but Michael was already out the door. Geoff watched him take the stairs down with a pain deep in his chest, blooming out in heat until he felt like he was coming apart.  
  
“Don’t call me.” Michael said loudly before Geoff heard the door to the apartment complex slam shut. Geoff crumpled to the ground in his doorway, face in his hands.  
  
**  
  
Michael stood outside of the apartment complex for a while, just trying to stop the hot tears, worse in the cold October air. He rubbed at his face harshly with his sleeve, anger setting his veins alight as he tried to stop the heaving sobs that started in his chest, worked out of his throat harshly. He was mad at himself for being this fucked up about this. When Geoff hadn’t answered the phone, Michael had just figured he’d go over, buzzed a random apartment, climbed the stairs just in time to fucking hear it.  
  
_“So- what, you just thought it would be funny to take the money from me and fuck the guy I was talking to?”_  
  
_“Are you fucking- is that what you want me to say? Fine, yeah Ryan. That’s what I did. I took your fucking money- I don’t even care about Michael. Just wanted quick cash.”_  
  
Just this god damn morning he was daydreaming about Geoff, and now he was standing outside of his building crying and hoping he would come running down the stairs to Michael to kiss away his tears. It was so fucking stupid, and it made Michael want to go back up there and punch Geoff, or kiss him, or just fucking shout how much this hurt at him.  
  
Michael scrunched his eyes shut and banged his head back against the door. He turned and punched the window on the door, breaking the glass. He bit his lip at the pain that radiated from his knuckles, cut up from the glass. _“God damn it!”_ He let out a sad chuckle and shot one last glance back at the building before running home, cold wind biting and unforgiving against his face.  
  
Whatever. It was fucking over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey i'm totally _super fucking late,_ feel free to yell at me!  
>  just wanted to make sure this chapter was right
> 
> I hope uhhhh you guys like this one! I'm gonna try to post the next one this week!
> 
> let me know what you think in the comments and leave kudos if you like it! ♥♥♥


	11. Chapter 11

Geoff wasn’t sure how long he was on the floor in the doorway before Ryan tried to help him up, but it couldn’t have been very long. Still, it felt like his whole world had collapsed onto him with full force, and when he felt Ryan’s hand on his shoulder it was like feeling something grab you in the dark. He lashed out, fighting Ryan’s hands away as Ryan fought to get a grip on him to pull him out of the doorway. It was only when Ryan tried to pull him to stand that Geoff realized he was crying. His eyes were blurry with tears and his sleeves were damp as Ryan half-carried him to the couch, closing the door behind him.  
  
Geoff felt strangely detached from the tears streaming down his face, and he wiped at them uselessly with his sleeve. All in all, he felt pretty pathetic. He stared at the TV while he waited out the tears and tried to remember the last time he cried. He could only remember crying when he ran away from home, and this didn’t feel like it was on the same playing field as that. Running away from home meant crying because even though it was broken and shitty, it was home. He was crying now because, in only a few weeks, Michael had become the reason Geoff got up in the morning, and now he wasn’t sure he had one before.  
  
He could feel Ryan sitting next to him on the couch after a while and from there he started to gain back his senses. He realized that Ryan was rubbing his back after he noticed his presence, and a while after he registered that Ryan was talking.  
  
“Wh- what are you saying?” Geoff mumbled, his voice wrecked.  
  
“I’m just- I’m sorry. I wasn’t actually gonna tell him, I didn’t- I didn’t know he was there,” Ryan said, trailing off like he didn’t know what to say.  
  
Even as numbness spread from his fingertips over the rest of him like a wave of unease, Geoff didn’t blame him. He couldn’t even reconcile putting what just happened on Ryan, for his own need to call it his fault as usual. Always his fault, always something he said, something he did, something he shouldn’t have done.  
  
“It’s okay. I knew you weren’t gonna tell him.” Geoff breathed out solemnly.  
  
“I was- I was just. Upset. I thought, I don’t know, I thought you knew me well enough to trust me with this kind of stuff, and I acted out. I didn’t realize… It’s stupid.” Ryan continued, his face contorted with grief.  
  
“It _is_ stupid. But I get it.” Geoff said, eyes suddenly heavy and tired.  
  
They stayed silent for a minute after that, Geoff finally calming his breathing so that every other exhale wasn’t a hiccup. He felt awful, and he didn’t know how to let himself be miserable with Ryan sat on the couch next to him, watching like he was gonna do something stupid. Maybe it was necessary.  
  
“Do you wanna know why?” Geoff said after a while.  
  
“Hm?”  
  
“Why I didn’t tell you?” Geoff continued, staring at the wood flooring.  
  
“Okay.” Ryan said hesitantly.  
  
“I didn’t even know until I saw him.” Geoff let out in a breath, “He walked in and sucked all the air out of the room. I’ve- I’ve messed around with guys, but I never had… _that.”_  
  
“Oh.” Ryan said quietly.  
  
“I just- I thought you would get mad and… I don’t know. It all seems idiotic now.” Geoff said, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands.  
  
“You don’t have to explain yourself to me I- I don’t have any ownership over who you are.” Ryan said quietly, and Geoff’s shoulders shook with the impression of a laugh.  
  
“Hm. Where was all this earlier?” Geoff said, half-jokingly.  
  
“God, I’m _so_ sorry Geoff.” Ryan said, distraught and tired. Geoff knew the feeling- the stress that followed something that you argued about just to argue, just to have something to say. He’d been a lifelong member of the speaking before thinking club, and seeing Ryan visibly distressed over things that he said in a fleeting moment of anger- well. It was too familiar to let Ryan go through as Geoff had before.  
  
Geoff waved his hand, “Forgotten.”  
  
“Are you okay?” Ryan asked, hand rubbing his back slowing as he tried to look Geoff in the eye.  
  
“No. I’m not,” Geoff felt a sob bubble up in his chest but choked it down, his eyes wetting again, “Not- not when I think about it.”  
  
“Do you want-,” Ryan started, but Geoff interrupted before Ryan could start listing distractions.  
  
“I just- I’m gonna go to my room. I wanna be alone. For a while.” Geoff said, shakily getting to his feet. Geoff needed to think this out for a while, not let it float into the background until he could pretend it all went away. Ryan would call everyone, and Geoff would be piled with distractions for days, which is great, but not right now.  
  
“O-okay.” Ryan said, staying sat on the couch.  
  
Before Geoff entered his room, he briefly turned back, “Can you do me a favor?”  
  
“Name it.” Ryan said immediately.  
  
“Don’t call Jack and Gavin yet. I just need a bit.” Geoff said, and Ryan nodded.  
  
“Sure.”  
  
Geoff just walked into his room and closed the door behind him. His light was still off, and he didn’t bother turning it on, just nabbed his Walkman from his desk and slumped over onto his bed. He stared at the ceiling in the shadowed darkness and recalled the night he had made the deal with Ryan, how he had struggled to sleep over the decision. His headphones drifted the melancholy tones of _The Smiths,_ and he tried not to think about the subconscious reason his mind was in distress that night. How he had worried about falling for- him. For Michael.  
  
He should’ve been warier of what would happen when he inevitably hit the ground.  
  
**  
  
Michael winced in pain as Jeremy moved his hand beneath the spray of water from the kitchen sink, he tried to pull away, but Jeremy held his hand steady. Ray was sitting on the counter beside them watching, everyone in this shroud of silence. Michael had come in looking like a mess, eyes red-rimmed and lip bleeding where he had worried it with his teeth. His right hand still had glass in it, and Jeremy had tried to ask what happened as he guided Michael to the sink. Michael knew if he said anything he’d start blubbering like some soft idiot and he didn’t want that, so he kept his mouth shut, let Ray and Jeremy exchange worry-filled glances that were completely unsubtle.  
  
He didn’t care. Maybe his anger would outweigh the pang of sadness in his chest and then he’d be okay to talk about it. Just like it was some random incident. Like someone spilling his coffee.  
  
He winced again as Jeremy poured hydrogen peroxide over the wound, and then sat on the floor while Jeremy went to get tweezers. Ray looked down at him from the counter with this sad look and Michael had to stop himself from being angry at him- being angry at everyone. Useless, but it was on the backburner of his mind, simmering, and it fucking sucked.  
  
“Got ‘em,” Jeremy said, and then sat in front of Michael on the floor, pulling his hand to get a better look at the glass embedded in his skin. Jeremy just nodded once to himself and made eye contact with Michael for a second before getting to work, picking at the glass painfully.  
  
Michael squirmed where he sat but let the pain shoot up his arms and coat his senses with only this, the physical pain. It kind of worked for a while, but then Ray broke the silence.  
  
“Are we just gonna pretend that nothing is going on- is that what we’re doing?”  
  
“Shut up Ray, you don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jeremy said, cutting Ray a look.  
  
“Michael just came in crying his fucking eyes out, and now you’re just pulling glass out of his fucking knuckles like it’s a normal Tuesday.” Ray continued anyway, gesturing wildly at what Michael was sure the mess he looked like. Tear-stained, blood-stained, tense and falling apart all at once like a wounded animal.  
  
“Shut _up!”_ Michael yelled, voice hoarse and choked up.  
  
“No-,” Ray said, setting his sights on Michael as his chest started rising and falling faster and faster, “Michael, what fucking _happened?”_  
  
“God, it’s none of your business.” Michael croaked, not even caring when another tear leaked down his face, landing on his t-shirt, cold.  
  
“… We’re just worried, man,” Jeremy said quietly after a moment, “Did Geoff-,”  
  
_“Don’t-_ just,” Michael worried his lip again as more tears streamed down, half from the pain and half from this. “Just fucking _don’t-_ okay? Can you guys do that? One fucking thing?”  
  
The only sound in the room was the tiny _clink_ sound of the pieces of glass Jeremy was pulling from Michael’s hand as he dropped them on the tile floor. Michael knocked his head back against the cabinet in an effort to stop squirming, and Ray huffed at the movement.  
  
“This?” Ray gestured to Michael crumpled on the ground, “Isn’t okay,” he said and hopped off the counter, storming off to his room.  
  
Jeremy didn’t even glance up as Ray left the room, his gaze fixed on Michael’s hand, bleeding near stopped by then. Michael was grateful for Jeremy’s close scrutiny of his hand, not just for the obvious, but because the onslaught of tears had returned. He was tired of crying when people were looking. He closed his eyes and let the too-hot tears slide down, knowing all too well that bottling them up only meant they would come again at a more inconvenient time. Like after a bad grade, or at his mother’s wedding to his step-father.  
  
“D’you feel anything else in there?” Jeremy said after a long while, and Michael snapped to attention, eyes eventually finding his mangled hand.  
  
“Uh,” Michael sniffed and flexed his hand a bit, wincing, “I think, I think you got it all.”  
  
Jeremy nodded and carefully picked up the bloodied pieces of glass in a paper towel, then helped Michael up to rinse his hand again. Michael drifted off as Jeremy cleaned the cut, coming to when Jeremy sat him on the couch and started wrapping gauze around his hand.  
  
“Are you never gonna tell me what happened, or are you just gonna tell me later?” Jeremy asked quietly as he deftly wrapped his hand.  
  
Michael sighed, rubbed at his face with his sleeve, “I-,” Michael started and then let out an empty laugh, “I don’t even know where to start.”  
  
Jeremy looked at him with plain worry written down the lines of his face, and Michael took a steadying breath before telling him what happened. From the very beginning. And Jeremy just listened, because he was a good god damn listener when he wanted to be, and if Michael could do anything in this world, it was talk.  
  
“He said that? That he- that he doesn’t care about you?” Jeremy said, brow furrowed.  
  
“Yeah,” Michael said with a dry throat, hand bandaged up and resting carefully on his chest as he leaned heavily on the back of the couch.  
  
Jeremy sighed, “That can’t be right-,”  
  
“But it’s what he fucking _said.”_ Michael interrupted, frustration leaking into his voice.  
  
Jeremy stayed silent for a moment and then said, “Wait so- okay, his roommate was paying him?”  
  
“And?” Michael said bitingly.  
  
“Were they- were they doing _exactly_ what we did?” Jeremy continued, looking determinedly at Michael.  
  
“I don’t fucking know- I guess so,” Michael said, trying to piece it together from the yelling he heard, “What does that fucking matter?”  
  
“Well- I don’t know, it’s weird to me to be, like, mad when you were doing the same thing,” Jeremy said slowly, and Michael felt heat in the back of his neck.  
  
“It’s not the same, he tricked me into liking him and he just wanted money and- and sex.” Michael said, frown deepening.  
  
“Did you?” Jeremy asked.  
  
“What?”  
  
“Did you sleep with him?” Jeremy elaborated, and Michael shook his head.  
  
“No.” Michael took a breath, “Well, not like _sleep with him_ sleep with him.”  
  
“Oh. What?” Jeremy said, tilting his head vaguely.  
  
“He sucked me off.” Michael said plainly, and all at once the whole conversation felt really weird and detached from what was actually happening to him.  
  
“Oh- well that’s not even like,” Jeremy spluttered, “That’s not rewarding for him, uh- sexually-,”  
  
Michael cut him off before he could go on, “What’s your point?”  
  
“Just like.” Jeremy sighed, “You guys had these intense _romantic moments-_ he didn’t even get like an orgasm out of it-,” Jeremy said, gesturing wildly about the story of each date, “yeah he got the money, but the rest seems over the top? I think… I think he actually cares about you.”  
  
When Jeremy finished talking, for a moment it seemed like a silver lining, like they had found the answer and didn’t need to worry anymore. But it was only for a moment, until Michael scoffed and said, “He literally said he does not care about me.”  
  
Jeremy frowned, “Yeah, but you overheard it.”  
  
“So?” Michael asked, shrugging at Jeremy as if asking what the difference was.  
  
“So, context.” Jeremy said, like it was obvious. And as he said it, it felt fucking obvious, but it hadn’t been when Michael was standing outside of Geoff’s door listening to them yell at each other. He knew it didn’t feel obvious because it felt like it fucking hurt, and that outweighed whatever logic centers were pretending to function in Michael’s brain at the time.  
  
“Ugh, whatever-,” Michael rubbed at his temples in frustration, “he still went out with me because he was getting paid-,”  
  
“But… so did you.” Jeremy interrupted, staring at Michael as if asking for the next challenge.  
  
“Yeah, well,” Michael stuttered out a few syllables and then groaned, “Shut up, god, my brain is gonna explode.”  
  
“Michael. You need to talk to him.” Jeremy said pointedly.  
  
“I don’t even wanna see his face.” Michael whined.  
  
“Then call him!” Jeremy said, placing a firm hand on Michael’s shoulder and shaking him a bit.  
  
“No- no, fuck this overcomplicated shit. I said I was done, I’m done.” Michael said, clenching the fist that wasn’t injured.  
  
“What? Just like that?” Jeremy’s eyes went wide, voice shocked.  
  
“Even if- if he didn’t fucking mean to, it hurt, y’know? It’s not worth it.” Michael said, standing up to try and end the conversation, but Jeremy grabbed his arm before he could leave.  
  
“Michael- you’re gonna regret this.” Jeremy said, holding fast to Michael’s arm, “Theoretically, you just got past the complicated part. It’s not time to give up.”  
  
“Jeremy!” Michael said, laughing in aggravation, “I’m fucking bleeding, I’ve been crying for fucking hours, he hasn’t called, it sounds a whole fucking lot like the part where I’m supposed to give up!”  
  
He yanked his arm from Jeremy’s grip, and Jeremy just shook his head with sad eyes as Michael walked toward his room.  
  
“You can still change your mind Michael, some people don’t find chemistry like that in their entire lives,” Jeremy called after him, and Michael shut the bedroom just as Jeremy finished.  
  
Michael’s face crumpled, and he tossed himself onto his bed like he had wanted to the moment he walked into the dorm. He shoved his face in his pillow hard, trying to calm down, and after a while he gave up the charade and screamed into it, thin walls be damned. That actually helped, even though his vocal chords felt like they had been used to slingshot his heart directly out of his chest as a result. He hugged the pillow to his chest, gingerly with his hurt hand, and waited for more anger or more grief, but neither came. No more tears, not another urge to scream and shout. In their place, doubt had taken the stage, working off of what Jeremy had said to him.  
  
When he was with Geoff, he felt like the world stopped for them. Time was slower and faster at once, senses were heightened, and pain was numbed. Michael woke up smiling for fuck’s sake. He hadn’t dated anyone who had that affect on him before, and Jeremy was basically saying that he might never find it again. Michael wasn’t scared of being alone, but if there was a chance that he didn’t have to be- shouldn’t he take it?  
  
No, it all seemed heavy and too much to swallow. Michael had been absolutely torn apart by the last few hours, and it seemed stupid to go looking for more pain. He was perfectly at peace with wallowing in his own self-hatred until real life caught up with him for now. He felt a brief whim to call his mom, but only sighed at the reality of what the call would be like.  
  
For now, he turned on the radio and tried not to think about how Geoff had listened to this station too.  
  
**  
  
Geoff had maybe been a few hours into staring at the ceiling in the dark and reverse-engineering every decision he had made since he was nineteen when his door was opened, letting in a crack of light from the living room. He covered his eyes with his arm to guard them from the sudden light and groaned throatily.  
  
“Go away,” he whined intelligently, turning onto his side so he was facing away from the door.  
  
He felt someone sit on the edge of his mattress and sighed, turned over ready to yell at Ryan and found Jack, Gavin, and Ryan all in his room. Gavin was the one who sat on his mattress, looking at him with this sheepish half-smile. Geoff sat up and pulled his headphones off just in time for Jack to switch on the light.  
  
“Can we not with the intervention- it’s been like, half a day.” Geoff said, not even kind of surprised that Ryan hadn't listened to his request.  
  
“You’re what- mourning?” Jack said, sitting on Geoff’s desk chair while Ryan leaned against the desk beside him.  
  
“I’m fuckin’- I’m being sad. I’m being sad because I’m sad and the world is shitty, and I _at least_ deserve some time to be sad.” Geoff said, glancing between the three of them warily.  
  
“Bounce back, Geoff, the sadness can’t last forever,” Gavin said, and Geoff looked at him incredulously.  
  
_“ ‘Bounce back’_ fuck you.” Geoff said, glaring at Gavin who looked taken aback for a second. Geoff took a breath and continued, “You know what no, you guys don’t even get it. You don’t even know.”  
  
“Well, tell us.” Jack said, and the man was so genuine it was near painful for Geoff to be mad.  
  
Geoff tried to explain for just a second, but he couldn’t come up with the right thing to say, “I couldn’t even put it in words. He was everything.”  
  
“You just met him.” Gavin said quietly, and Geoff looked at him again, softer. Idly, he knew that if he was in Gavin's position listening to himself, he'd agree. It'd only been a short time that he spent with Michael, but he'd be absolutely lying if he said it hadn't changed parts of him that he hadn't even been aware of. It almost made him sad for Gavin, that he couldn't imagine a romance so all-consuming that time was just an unremarkable fact. Time made no dent in what he had with Michael, it only contained it, held them in its palm as they ignored it completely. The thought tore another wound in Geoff's chest and he let out a breath.  
  
“It’s not hard to become my everything, Gavin, look around you.” Geoff gestured to his room, mostly barren but still containing every item he could call his own, “I don’t fucking _have_ anything, so to me, he was everything just for making me smile.”  
  
“Okay.” Ryan said decisively, rubbing his hands together.  
  
“Okay what?” Geoff asked, pulled from the whirlpool of his thoughts.  
  
“Okay, so what are you gonna do to get him back?” Ryan asked, and Jack was nodding beside him encouragingly.  
  
“What?” Geoff asked, and anything in the general vicinity of ‘get him back’ hadn’t even come to mind until just then.  
  
“Geoff, as much as sitting and listening to sad music is- well.” Jack paused to lean over and pull the Walkman away from him, “A bad coping mechanism, it _also_ isn’t helping you get him back.”  
  
“I can’t do that, I can’t get him back.” Geoff said distractedly, remembering Michael’s defeated face in the doorway, “He probably doesn’t want anything to do with me.”  
  
“You don’t know that!” Gavin said excitedly, raising his eyebrows.  
  
“He told me not to call him.” Geoff continued.  
  
“So go see him.” Jack said.  
  
“That’s, god, that’s fuckin’ worse!” Geoff groaned, tossing himself back on his bed.  
  
He stared at his clock radio as Ryan went on, “Well you gotta figure something out if you want him back, Geoff, we can’t do it for you.”  
  
“Though I wouldn’t mind-,” Gavin started, raising his eyebrows faux-seductively, but Geoff interrupted him.  
  
“Shh!” Geoff said, gesturing further by holding up a finger.  
  
“Christ, I was joking. He _is_ fit though,” Gavin continued, and Geoff shushed him again, and turned on the radio.  
  
_“My loneliness is killing me, and I- I must confess- I still believe,”_ played too-loud on the radio, and Geoff turned to face them with the biggest smile he could muster.  
  
“Is now really the time for- who is this?” Jack said, bemused look on his face as he gestured to the radio as it played the pop song.  
  
“Shut up, this is it.” Geoff said, sitting up again and cranking up the radio even louder.  
  
“What?” Gavin half-yelled, laughing a bit.  
  
“I know what I’m gonna fucking do.” Geoff said, too quiet for them to hear.

  


_“Hit me baby one more time!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> should i have been doing other things when i wrote this? mayhaps, but i had a moral obligation to fulfill!
> 
> hope you guys liked this one! chapter 12 will be up next week!!!!
> 
> leave a comment letting me know if you liked it, and leave kudos if you haven't already! ♥


	12. Chapter 12

Michael woke up the next day feeling worse than he had in a long time. His throat was sore and his hand had become unbandaged overnight, so his sheets were spotted with blood in a way that reminded him of when he used to wake up with nosebleeds as a kid. It was rattling as hell to see, for a moment making him feel sixteen in New Jersey, his hand instinctively coming up to pinch his nose in a way he had thought he’d forgotten all about. He was about to call hoarsely for his mom before he snapped out of it, quickly realizing that he wasn’t surrounded by the half-painted walls of his childhood. He dropped his hand and looked at it in the weird confusion that could only come with waking up too early after a long fucking night. As his memory of the day previous flooded his mind, a knot started looping in his throat and he got up to wash his face before the pricking of tears at his eyes could overpower him.  
  
He stared at himself in the bathroom mirror with a deliberately blank face and focused on the expression until it felt like he meant it. He could fucking do this, if he tried hard enough. It could all fade into shades of pinks and red and blues in the back of his mind. Back in the box.  
  
He went back to his room to get dressed, music playing idly from his clock radio- that stupid mainstream pop that they broadcasted from the school, nearly inappropriate in the sudden empty feeling of his room. He nodded along to the music absently until he had his shit together for class. He took a deep breath. An ordinary day.  
  
Jeremy was in the kitchen making breakfast for himself as Michael passed through. He looked up as Michael tried to get past.  
  
“Michael-,” Jeremy started, but Michael kept walking.  
  
“I’m late.” Michael croaked, his voice fucked.  
  
“But-,” Michael closed the door behind himself before Jeremy could continue, and Michael pretended that Jeremy just wanted to talk about chores or having his music on too loud. Maybe he did. Michael kept walking.  
  
**  
  
“Please man, I’ll fucking pay and everything,” Geoff glanced wearily between Jack, Ryan, and Gavin as the pretentious asshole on the phone basically told him to get stuffed. Geoff held the phone away from his ear as the guy told him _precisely_ how he felt about Geoff’s idea, loud enough for the guys to hear and sigh dejectedly in unison. All except Ryan who grabbed the phone hastily.  
  
“All you had to say was no, you sanctimonious prick, we didn’t wanna use your tacky three-song rotation radio bullshit anyway.” Ryan said into the phone, and Geoff scrunched up his face as Ryan let the guy rattle on for a while longer, “Yeah? Up yours too pal.”  
  
He slammed the phone back on the receiver with a huff and Gavin threw his arms up.  
  
“Well, there goes that,” Jack sighed.  
  
“We should’ve just lied like I said.” Gavin said.  
  
Geoff rubbed a hand over his face in frustration then turned to Gavin, “How the fuck would Michael know the message was for him if I fucking said a girl name, dumbass?”  
  
“He’d know!” Gavin said, laughing.  
  
“Yeah, how romantic,” Jack chuckled, “if someone called you _Gavina_ on the radio, would you call them back?”  
  
“Well no, but I’m and arsehole.” Gavin chuckled out, and Jack shoved him so he fell over on the couch.  
  
“Yeah, Michael’s an asshole too.” Geoff said dreamily, and the guys blinked at him as his eyes glazed over with the image of Michael’s snarky grin, pushing Geoff into the pool, yelling at him on the curb, joking and sarcasm and biting tone. Gavin snapped in front of his face and yanked him out of the mist of the daydream, and he sighed.  
  
Ryan paced in front of them, determination stronger than Geoff could’ve anticipated, “Where’s this stupid station anyway, I’m gonna get them shut the fuck down.”  
  
“Gonna sic daddy on them Rye?” Gavin snickered.  
  
“Why not?” Ryan said, shrugging noncommittally like he had done so before.  
  
“It’s one of the stupid school-run stations.” Geoff said, answering Ryan’s question.  
  
“So… they’re broadcasting from the Liberal Arts building?” Jack asked, an eyebrow raised like he had just thought of something. Geoff turned to look at him more intently, crossing his arms and regarding him as he answered the question.  
  
“Yeah, why?” Geoff asked.  
  
“Well, let’s go down there.” Jack said, sitting up straight as he spoke.  
  
_“What?”_ Gavin shouted, turning to Jack now like Geoff had.  
  
“Jack, did you hear the same phone call I did?” Ryan asked, brow furrowing in amusement.  
  
“Hear me out,” Jack started, “maybe they’ll listen when they see us in person- it’s easy to be a douchebag on the phone, but in person?”  
  
“You think so?” Geoff asked, squinting as he tried to picture how the conversation would go down.  
  
“Maybe!” Jack said, putting his hands up like he was leaving the decision up to them. Geoff and Ryan locked eyes and had one of those silent conversations, raising their eyebrows as if challenging each other to kick it up a notch.  
  
“Yeah, and _maybe_ we’ll get the shit kicked out of us.” Gavin laughed, slouching back against the couch and glancing at the guys curiously, like he couldn’t believe they’d even consider it.  
  
“We could take him.” Ryan said with a smile, eyes still on Geoff.  
  
“You guys are psycho!” Gavin squawked, and Jack chuckled.  
  
“It’s crazy.” Geoff said quietly, still staring down Ryan.  
  
“Just crazy enough to work?” Jack asked, starting to smile like he could already tell what their answer was going to be. Geoff’s mouth twisted a bit as he continued his stare-down with Ryan, only breaking once he had decided. The bottom line was that he wanted Michael back, and if this was the best plan he could come up with then there was no god damn way he would back down. He had nothing to lose and everything to gain, and at least if Michael was upset by the plan Geoff would see him one last time when he came to beat the shit out of him.  
  
“… Let’s do fucking do it.” Geoff said, mouth twining into a grin, and Ryan and Jack nodded in excitement, chuckling a little bit.  
  
“You’re all fucking mental, and I’ll have no part of it!” Gavin said, and then chuckled, “Actually I have class, so I just can’t.”  
  
“You sure it’s not just because you don’t wanna get deported?” Ryan laughed out, and Gavin tossed a pillow at his face.  
  
“No! I’m a huge fan of…” he pulled a crumpled schedule out of his back pocket, “the uh, the screenwriting class. So there!”  
  
“Yeah yeah, get out of here and go to class for once,” Jack said, pushing Gavin as he made to get up.  
  
“Alright, good luck then,” Gavin said, and then left.  
  
Geoff glanced between Jack and Ryan with a mix of nerves and determination rushing through his veins, feeling a ghost of a twinge at his pierced ear at the familiar adrenaline. He rubbed his palms on his jeans and nodded to himself, trying not to make as big a deal out of it in his head as it felt. He knew that the second this became _a whole thing_ he would get carried away and twitchy and this would fall apart. He didn’t want this to go bad.  
  
Jack put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and Geoff was grateful for it, let it hold him to the earth for a little bit until Jack released him.  
  
“So- uh, wait what are we doing?” Geoff said when he felt like a cognizant human person again.  
  
“We’re gonna try to be a little more persuasive to that idiot on the phone, in person,” Ryan said, pointing behind him in the general direction of the university.  
  
“Right. Fuck.” Geoff said bluntly, and Jack shook his head in a small laugh.  
  
“C’mon, get dressed, it’s gonna be fine,” Jack said, yanking at the stretched collar of Geoff’s shirt.  
  
Geoff glanced down at himself defensively, “I _am_ dressed, asshole!”  
  
“Christ Geoff, put on a shirt that isn’t almost completely threadbare,” Ryan responded, and Geoff looked at him in betrayal.  
  
“Oh, I’m sorry mister fucking thousand count dress shirt on a Tuesday,” Geoff grumbled, already standing to go to his room and get a different shirt on.  
  
“That’s- y’know what, wear what you want,” Ryan said, but Geoff was already pulling his shirt over his head.  
  
“Fuck you, I’m changing,” Geoff called behind himself, rifling through the pile of _probably_ clean clothes on the floor next to his bed.  
  
“Okay, whatever, we’ll meet you at the car,” Jack said, his voice followed by the slam of the front door.  
  
Geoff sighed as he pulled on a few different shirts, settling for one of the variations of his black shirts and a hoodie that somehow made him look slightly less like the punk twink who would sell you coke in the club bathroom at a discount if you blew him. He fussed with his hair with a disgruntled look crossing his face, but it fell just the right way before he could give up and leave the country. Pity, he’d always wanted to surf in Australia.  
  
As he locked up and descended the stairway, he told himself that if the stupid school radio people wouldn’t hear him out that it wasn’t the end all be all. He would keep trying. Though, it would be really fucking cool if his first idea worked because he had jack shit in mind for plan B. Hell, he was already on plan B, plan A was that the radio DJ was sympathetic and non-asshole person. But Geoff would go through the whole damn alphabet and start again so long as he got a chance to make things right.  
  
Hopefully Jack wasn’t just the blind optimist Geoff thought he was, and for once people would actually act the way he hoped the fucking would. Geoff would give anything for this to somehow be easy. Fuck, maybe the universe would smile down on him on more time and this would be a simple yes and go. Geoff hoped so.  
  
**  
  
“No.”  
  
“Seriously?” Geoff said, leaning on the makeshift desk in the room that connected to adjacent recording booth.  
  
The red light of the recording sign above the door was on and he could see through the window in the door that the DJ he had likely talked to on the phone was talking into the mic with the douchebag flourish that was hysterically obvious. Ryan had chuckled as they walked through the Liberal Arts building to get to the office, the intercoms in the building spewing the DJ’s smug crap about some school event or another, followed by yet another rendition of _Breakfast at Tiffany’s_ that no one wanted to hear. Not that it mattered whether they wanted to hear it or not, the station played over the hallway intercoms in almost all of the buildings, so anyone without a Walkman or CD player was boned either way.  
  
The person sitting at the desk shrugged at him evasively, glancing longways into the recording booth, “If he said no on the phone, he’s gonna say no man, I don’t know what to tell you.”  
  
“Can’t you talk to him or something?” Jack said, stepping forward when Geoff frowned and stepped away in frustration, running his hands through his hair.  
  
“Dude, he doesn’t wanna hear it, trust me,” the guy said, “you’re wasting your time.”  
  
Geoff glanced at the stupid little window just in time for the recording sign to turn off and douchebag extraordinaire to stepped out a sneer at the three of them. He glanced at the dude at the desk who just shrugged and gestured at them vaguely.  
  
“What can I do for you fellas?” he said, placing his hands on his hips with this stern face like he wasn’t nineteen and running this station as a resume filler.  
  
“Let me record the message.” Geoff said, crossing his arms.  
  
“Oh, it’s you again, christ, didn’t you _hear_ what I said on the phone?” he said, voice whiny and condescending.  
  
“I don’t know, our connection isn’t so great, do you mind?” Ryan said, stepping forward and gesturing for him to repeat any of the vile things he had said on the phone.  
  
The guy swallowed and took a few steps backward, “Listen guys, it has nothing to do with you, the whole station would go down if I let your message through,”  
  
“Sounded like it had a little something to do with _‘us’_ on the phone,” Jack said, glaring at the guy.  
  
“Guys, let’s not mince words here,” he said, “the long and short of it is- the answer is no. So, get lost.”  
  
Geoff turned to look at Jack and Ryan with _what now_ written all over his face, glancing at the open door to the recording booth out of the corner of his eye. Jack nodded at Geoff subtly to ask what he was thinking, and Geoff glanced at the disgruntled and annoyed DJ one last time before bolting for the door, slamming it shut behind him like it was the only thing between him and a fucking tsunami.  
  
“What the fuck are you doing!?” the guy yelled running up to the door, only trying the handle seconds after Geoff had locked the door.  
  
“This is bigger than you, buddy,” Geoff said through the small window, and the guy huffed angrily.  
  
“Uh, secur-,” Ryan ripped the phone that the guy at the desk had picked up out of his hands and slammed it back down on the receiver.  
  
He held it there and leaned in menacingly, “I don’t think the phones are working on campus right now.”  
  
The guy stumbled away from the phone and glanced at the DJ, who was being yanked away from the door by Jack’s hold on the collar of his shirt, losing his footing and falling flat on his ass a few feet away from the door. Jack moved to stand in front of the door with his arms crossed, looking down on the guy coolly. The DJ and the desk guy glanced at each other helplessly, wildly glancing between the booth, the phone, and Jack and Ryan who were quietly terrifying without a single movement.  
  
“You can’t just do this!” the DJ yelled, looking like a child throwing a fit from the way he was sat on the floor.  
  
The sound of his voice came muted through the walls of the booth, and Geoff just shrugged at him through the window, stepping backward toward the little setup inside of the booth. The song that the DJ had chosen was still in the middle of playing, and Geoff almost sat to listen to the end of it first, but it seemed like a silly instinct. He had just forced his way into a recording booth for a school radio station that Michael was _maybe_ in the vicinity of listening to, and he was considering waiting for the shitty song to come to an end because what- he didn’t want to interrupt?  
  
He laughed nervously and sat in front of the mic, then quickly thought better of it and pulled the jig holding it up to a higher position so he could stand in front of it. There was no way he was gonna be able to sit down for this.  
  
**  
  
Michael drearily walked out of his morning class, eyes glazed over as he tried to decide whether or not it was worth it to try and go back to the dorm between classes to catch a little more shut eye before his afternoon class. It was either that or grab lunch from the café and get some coffee to drink during class, and he fucking hated bringing coffee to class ever since that time his cup had fallen over and gotten all over his shit. Still, it was an option, and it sounded better than possibly running into Ray or Jeremy at the apartment so they could grill him again about-  
  
But no, he wasn’t thinking about that, he wasn’t thinking about Geoff, or how his knuckles hurt, or how his eyes hadn’t quite managed to stop being puffy yet. No, he definitely was not thinking about any of these things as he stared blankly at the vending machine in the hallway and shoved in a crumpled dollar for the fifth time into the slot, so soft that the damn thing wouldn’t take his money.  
  
He kicked at the machine and earned a few stares as a result, though it took him a few seconds to realize that anything existed outside of him kicking the vending machine. He let out a slow breath until he could take in his surroundings, if only to prove he wasn’t floating in the void of space in front of a machine that wouldn’t give him a bag of chips. He nodded along to the song that was playing over the intercoms for a second, even though they had played it in the morning and he was tired to death of it.  
  
Just as he gave up and stepped away from the vending machine, however, the music cut to silence right in the middle of the song. There wasn’t even that transition clip that came on before the DJ started talking, and Michael was just about to walk out of the building when he heard it.  
  
_“Fuck,”_  
  
No. No, no that doesn’t make any sense, that-  
  
_“Oh shit, I’m probably not supposed to curse on this thing. Uh, too bad I guess.”_  
  
“Oh my god.” Michael said, dropping his books on the floor.  
  
_“Michael.”_  
  
“Oh. Oh my god.”  
  
_“Fuck, dude I hope you’re listening.”_  
  
Michael flushed and dropped to his knees to pick up his books, hands trembling a bit as he tried to figure out what the fuck he was supposed to do, what he wanted to do. He was all at once so fucking glad this wasn’t high school where everyone would know who Geoff was talking about- fuck, _fuck_ Geoff was _talking about him._  
  
No, talking _to him._  
  
_“I don’t know if you remember telling me that you listened to this piece of shit station when it started playing in my room the night after the concert.”_  
  
Michael dropped his books again from where he was on the floor and made as if he was tying his shoe so that he wouldn’t have to get up. He could vaguely remember what Geoff was talking about, remembered walking around his room and laughing about something that was playing. Blurry images of Geoff’s clock radio and patches on his dresser flashed behind his eyelids.  
  
_“You were too drunk to get out the words, but you were trying to say that you liked listening to the apologies that people sent in.”_  
  
Michael blushed again, not even remembering admitting that. He used to get drunk and listen to the apologies that came on and hope that the person they were saying sorry to would call the station and forgive them. He always imagined people getting that phone call and being so relieved that they heard the message, because they weren’t just apologizing to them, they were doing it in front of fucking _everybody._  
  
_“I fucking fought my way in here when they wouldn’t let me send in an apology and uh, well, Michael I am so fucking sorry.”_  
  
Geoff’s voice cracked, and he paused for a moment. Michael gathered his books and finally stood up, glancing around for anything to point him toward what the fuck he was supposed to do when he thought his heart was breaking.  
  
_“I uh- don’t know what you heard yesterday- but I kept hanging out with you because I fucking like you and how you’re laidback, and-,”_  
  
Geoff chuckled, and Michael felt his throat go tight at the sound, fuck how did he think he’d ever be able to get by without hearing any variation of that laugh again- even this sad toned down version quiet over the crackle of the speakers.  
  
_“Because you pushed me in the pool, and asked to share my cigarettes, and didn’t mind eating greasy burgers on the curb.”_  
  
Michael leaned against a wall for support and held his books up to cover his face as he smiled helplessly, feeling stupid but in a good way.  
  
_“Because even though I already bought you a coffee to replace the one I spilled on you- I wanna buy you coffees every day. Until I run out of money, then yeah you’re just gonna have to deal.”_  
  
Michael laughed, letting his head land back against the wall softly. His eyes threatened tears and he knew that they were different this time, not of sadness. He rubbed at one eye blearily and stared at one of the overhead intercom speakers like he could see Geoff through the holes. His heart felt a visceral wrench and he knew suddenly that he had to fucking see him. He had to see Geoff right now or his heart would break out of his chest with a sledgehammer, a mutiny of love.  
  
_“God, I hope you’re listening. I’m totally gonna get boned for this, there’s some faculty asshole jiggling the handle of the booth right now.”_  
  
Michael ran through the building, turning the corner and running smack into somebody, scrambling to get up and keep moving until he realized who he had run into.  
  
“Gavin?” Michael yelled, and Gavin screamed.  
  
“Michael!”  
  
“Where- where is he?” Michael said, grabbing Gavin by his shirt.  
  
“I’m- that’s where I’m going I-,” Gavin stuttered, and Michael released him.  
  
“Well fucking take me with you then, idiot!”  
  
_“But here I am, and I don’t know, I uh- I don’t really know how to say this. I’m so- fuck,”_  
  
Michael followed Gavin as they clambered up the stairs, Geoff’s disembodied voice echoing around the stairwell like Michael’s subconscious talking to him. Like all the things Michael had wanted to hear Geoff say after he punched the glass.  
  
_“I was so used to silence before you, I was comfortable with it, and fuck- you made me comfortable with loud, you made our silences feel like full-length conversations you son of a bitch- you made me- you-,”_  
  
Gavin let Michael into the crowded office where Michael could see Geoff’s roommate and another guy trying to run interference, (“It’s a project for Sociology, if you interfere you’ll ruin it and we’ll have to do it again.”) but none of them even really registered in his mind. No, none of that shit mattered because through the little window into the recording booth, Michael met those fucking blue eyes he had asked Geoff about the day that he met him in that shitty bar on sixth.  
  
_“You- you’re here.”_ Geoff said, and Michael could only hear him through the speakers, and he nodded, ignoring all the eyes that were suddenly on him in his disheveled state. He stayed frozen there until Gavin gave him a nudge, urging him to step fully into the room.  
  
All heads turned toward the recording booth as Geoff opened the door, Jack and Ryan holding faculty back from the scene, seemingly evaporating around Geoff as Michael’s mouth twitched a small smile. Michael started walking forward, and, as if his brain had received some invisible signal, Geoff’s feet took him forward. Neither could tell if they were walking or running, or if the people around them were yelling or cheering, but they met in the middle like waves crashing into each other, swirling into a tower of water, blue as their embrace.  
  
Geoff kissed him like the last breath of air before diving into the ocean, and Michael’s mouth quivered against him, his hot tears melting into their kiss until Geoff’s hands came up to cradle his face, swiping at them and somehow making them stop just like that. Michael’s arms were warm around his waist, fingernails biting into his skin through his shirt like it was all he could do not to fall down to his knees. Their kiss lasted maybe seconds before they pulled apart, looking into each other’s eyes and then flitting away again like it was too much too fast for them both.  
  
“I-,” Geoff started and Michael held a finger to his lips to stop him.  
  
“Shut the fuck up, you already got to talk,” Michael said.  
  
“Okay,” Geoff smiled, wide and happy and way too fucking sweet.  
  
“I forgive you, an- and you don’t have to buy me coffee every day, sometimes I get to get you coffee,” Michael said quietly, “and I- I love that you listen to punk music and read stacks of novels, how you fucking snuck us into a theater and brought me to my first concert. I shouldn’t have doubted you- I won’t. Not anymore.”  
  
Geoff smiled and hummed, “Well- you uh, you should probably still doubt me sometimes-,”  
  
“Shut up,” Michael interrupted.  
  
“Okay,” Geoff said, and Michael kissed him again.  
  
Around them there could have been an orchestra of a thousand instruments, or a riot worth burning down cities over, but when they kissed it was like it was all lost in the fog. Muted and dampened and made into unimportant scribbled notes in the margins of the notes of this point in time. They’d forget the name of the song that was playing, or if the DJ had really called security, or how long Geoff had been locked in the recording booth, but they wouldn’t forget how warm it felt in their embrace, or how the cold had felt less biting and more still when they stepped out of the building than autumn had managed to feel in weeks.  
  
That night when snow fell softly over the silhouette of their city, it would feel like coming home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A WEEK LATE  
> .................... i mean it's here tho  
> seriously lmao sorry guys my computer chose the wrong time to fuck me over (let's be real, any time is a bad time) but! nonetheless it is up and i hope you guys liked it!  
>  **chapter 13 will be up next week!**
> 
> if you did like it leave kudos if you haven't already, and leave me a comment letting me know what you think!!! ♥♥♥


	13. Chapter 13

Michael didn’t really know how he wound up at Geoff’s place with everyone but Geoff. The only person he really knew in the room was Gavin, and it wasn’t by a very wide margin. Gavin would catch his eye every now and again and wink, and Michael didn’t know what the fuck that meant so he just nodded and tried to stop catching his eye. Jack and Ryan seemed nice enough, but Michael was a little wary of Ryan because of the whole yelling thing and then the whole Ryan was supposed to be the one he went on the date with thing. Ryan didn’t seem like he was giving it a whole lot of thought though- at least not as much as Michael was thinking about it and shaking his leg violently while waiting for Geoff to fucking come back.  
  
Michael had completely zoned out what they were saying to each other as he glanced again and again to Geoff’s bedroom, just wanting him _there_ already. He took a breath and tried to pay attention to what the guys were saying for something to do. He had probably already come off as an asshole for just sitting there saying nothing for the past hour, which was fair but whatever.  
  
“I don’t think so Ryan- what did he do really? Like, that’s worth punishing?” Jack said, sitting on the edge of his seat beside Michael on the couch.  
  
“I’m sure they’re asking themselves the same question, and they’ll come up with something,” Ryan said, sitting on the floor and leaning back against the table that held their TV.  
  
“But what? He did nothing wrong,” Jack said.  
  
“Well Jack, he didn’t do _nothing,”_ Gavin said from where he sat on the arm of the couch on Jack’s other side.  
  
“He didn’t hurt anybody, he didn’t break school property, he didn’t-,” Jack counted on his fingers as he spoke, and Gavin interrupted.  
  
“Yeah, but they don’t _care_ what he didn’t do, they’re just gonna say he did any of the things they can punish, and they’re gonna punish him.” Gavin said, and a collective sigh flooded the room.  
  
“Do you think he’ll get kicked out?” Michael said after a moment, making everyone turn to him like they’d forgotten he was there. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose nervously as he waited for someone to say something.  
  
Ryan sighed and ran a hand through his hair, “Maybe? I don’t know if they could get away with it.”  
  
“Fuck, he should’ve just called me,” Michael said, half-joking and it pulled a chuckle from the room, so he didn’t feel so bad for saying it.  
  
“Would you have stayed on the line then?” Gavin asked, smirking while Jack and Ryan raised curious brows.  
  
“I- I don’t fucking know dude, maybe it had to go down like this,” Michael said, worrying his lip with his teeth as he imagined his phone ringing at the dorm and tried to ask himself if he would answer.  
  
“I hope it’s worth it,” Ryan said dryly, and Jack threw a pillow at him.  
  
“Don’t be an asshole, Ryan,” Jack said, glancing at Michael who just shrugged.  
  
“Impossible request, Jack,” Gavin said, and Ryan tossed the pillow at him.  
  
“Fuck you, I’m nice as hell,” Ryan defended himself.  
  
“Yeah, nice as the depths of hell sounds about right,” Jack said, and Michael burst out laughing.  
  
His laughter sparked everyone else’s laughter, and then they were just laughing to laugh, Ryan included. Michael held his gut as he tried to catch his breath, and Jack clapped him on the shoulder like he was welcoming him to their train-wreck of a group. Not too fucking shabby.  
  
Just as Michael started to catch his breath the front door opened and everyone turned to look.  
  
“Get your hands of my fucking boyfriend,” Geoff said as he walked in, and the guys cheered for his return- except for Michael who blushed and glanced away.  
  
Geoff hopped on the arm of the couch that Michael was sitting beside and leaned down to kiss Michael on the forehead, Michael catching him by the jaw and kissing him on the mouth thereafter. Michael’s face heated easily at being kissed in front of people- though he realized that their last _few_ kisses with Geoff had plenty of witnesses. The guys howled and wolf-whistled at them and Geoff hummed a laugh into their kiss. Michael pulled away with a flush and a helpless smile, one word orbiting his mind. Boyfriend.  
  
“What happened, Geoff?” Jack asked, and Geoff shrugged.  
  
“Academic suspension.”  
  
“No shit?” Gavin asked, pleasantly surprised it seemed.  
  
“I mean they also, uh- fuckin’ yelled at me for the better part of what would have been my fucking Lit class, which I was skipping so,” Geoff shrugged again, looking almost completely unbothered. Michael felt a tightness in his chest at the fact that Geoff had been royally fucked over because of him and hunched over a bit. Geoff’s hand came to rest at the base of his neck and squeezed softly before scritching his fingers through the hair at the back of Michael’s head, and Michael visibly relaxed at the touch.  
  
“What’d they yell about?” Ryan asked, arms crossed.  
  
“Uh, I dunno- inappropriateness, uh they mostly just called me a bunch of shitty words while I nodded and went with the Sociology class thing.” Geoff said, gesturing to Jack who did a small bow for coming up with that one so fast.  
  
“Yeesh. How’d they like that excuse?” Ryan continued, and Geoff sucked in a breath of air.  
  
“Well, they looked at my schedule and realized I wasn’t _registered_ for any Sociology classes,” Geoff said, and Ryan made a face that spelled out yikes.  
  
“Rough.” Jack said.  
  
“Whatever, I uh. I can’t go back to class until sometime in November, no big deal,” Geoff said, and the guys all nodded solemnly.  
  
“I’m glad you got out of there in one piece,” Jack said, and Geoff smiled appreciatively.  
  
“Yeah, well even if they roughed me up a bit it was- well it, I’d uh, say it was worth it.” Geoff said, and Michael hesitated to look up though he could feel Geoff’s eyes on him. He looked up anyway, meeting Geoff’s eyes as he smiled down at him like this was just another day. Michael smiled back automatically, and god he wished he could stop blushing.  
  
Geoff’s smile stretched into a grin that mirrored Michael’s, and then Geoff was leaning down to kiss him, a little more open and desperate for something, just something. Someone cleared their throat, but they didn’t break their kiss, Michael could give a shit about who was around them anymore. He’d kiss Geoff in front of God and the fucking devil if it meant he didn’t have to stop.  
  
“Well, lads,” Gavin said, muted to Geoff and Michael’s ears, “I think we’d better come up with some plans about now.”  
  
“Emo’s?” Jack asked.  
  
“Good man.” Gavin said, and rose to grab his jacket, “You too, Rye, c’mon you didn’t pay for the show.”  
  
“I wasn’t- whatever, I’m coming,” Ryan said, and with a few other murmured sentences as they gathered their things, they were gone.  
  
Geoff broke their kiss, and Michael whined involuntarily as Geoff rolled his eyes and pulled him to a standing position. Michael threw his arms around Geoff’s neck and kissed him again, swallowing the breath that held whatever words Geoff wanted to say. Geoff huffed a laugh between their mouths and led Michael toward his room, walking them backwards until Michael had him pinned to the doorway of his bedroom. Michael licked into Geoff’s mouth and drew out a small sound from Geoff.  
  
Then it was Michael’s turn to break the kiss, pulling Geoff by his stupid leather jacket into his room, his eyes blown as he stumbled after Michael and let himself get pulled to the bed.  
  
“So,” Michael said, and Geoff blinked as he played with a stray curl by Michael’s ear, “I’m your _boyfriend_ now, huh?”  
  
“I- uh. Well, I mean-,” Geoff said, widening his eyes and looking away for a second.  
  
_”Boyfriend,”_ Michael teased, poking at Geoff’s side.  
  
Geoff straightened up and took Michael’s hands, and then leaned in and kissed him once, chaste, before pulling away, “Michael- d’you wanna go steady?”  
  
“Christ, shut up,” Michael said, looking away with a laugh.  
  
“I am- I’m one hundred percent serious,” Geoff got out, grinning and pulling Michael to look at him again.  
  
“No you’re not, you don’t do that shit,” Michael said, mouth curling into a teasing smile.  
  
Michael was right in that Geoff _didn’t_ do that shit, not even with his last relationship. It was corny, and Geoff always thought of it as the kind of thing you did in middle school with whoever you had asked to be your valentine. Now all he could think is that he’d absolutely ask Michael to be his fucking valentine, and that maybe going steady would make their little transition feel a little cleaner and less stilted. Make it feel real.  
  
“I’d do it for _you,”_ Geoff said, voice dripping with sincerity, so much so that Michael nearly shivered, “If you wanted to do that- but uh, I mean- we don’t have to-,”  
  
“No- I,” Michael interrupted, and then let out a steadying breath, “Yeah. Yes,”  
  
“Yeah?” Geoff asked, grinning again.  
  
“Yeah, okay?” Michael giggled out, taking Geoff’s face in his hands and kissing him, soft.  
  
“Okay,” Geoff said softly when Michael released him, smiling with these stupid shining eyes that made Michael feel like his lungs were on fire.  
  
Michael pulled him in with a different look in his eye, kissed him hard and wanting, and Geoff didn’t realize that Michael was pushing him onto his back on the bed until Michael was on top of him and pulling away with this roguish grin. Geoff watched with hooded eyes as Michael pulled his own shirt over his head and tossed it behind him somewhere, and Geoff sat up to kiss him again, hands going straight for that coppery hair, set frizzy by the catch of the shirt. Michael breathed out hard between them, grinding his hips down against Geoff’s a bit until he found _just_ the right amount of friction.  
  
“Fuck,” Geoff breathed when they broke apart, resting his forehead on Michael’s chest. He opened his eyes at the feeling of bare skin against his face, like he had forgotten.  
  
Geoff pressed an open-mouthed kiss to the center of Michael’s chest, heat rushing to the point like the bloom of a flower. Michael hummed and held his head there, running his fingers through Geoff’s hair and wincing when Geoff framed the kiss-mark with a bite, mouthed his way to one of Michael’s nipples. Michael grinded down into Geoff a little harder, face twisting to satisfaction when he felt the hard line of Geoff’s cock against him through their clothes.  
  
“Mm,” Michael hummed as Geoff’s hands moved between them to undo Michael’s jeans while working on the other nipple, “Hold- hold on,” Michael said and pulled Geoff back gently by his hair.  
  
“Hm?” Geoff said in a long drawl, glazed look in his eyes staring up at Michael.  
  
Michael laughed and pushed Geoff’s jacket off his shoulders and then yanked at the hem of his shirt until Geoff let him pull it off, “I think-,” Michael said, quickly leaning in and kissing at the tattoos that lined Geoff’s left collarbone, “that I owe you a favor.”  
  
Michael kissed a trail down the center of Geoff’s chest as his hands slid beneath the waistband of Geoff’s pants teasingly before deftly undoing them. Geoff kicked off his socks and shoes and let Michael pull his pants down and out of the way, watching with a distinct pleasure as Michael followed suit and then daintily took off his glasses and folded them before placing them on the bedside table.  
  
“You think it was _a favor?_ Believe me, the pleasure was all mine,” Geoff said, breaking into a sigh as Michael palmed at the length of him through his boxer briefs.  
  
“You’re such a kiss-ass,” Michael chuckled out.  
  
“I’ll kiss your ass anytime,” Geoff shot back, and Michael rolled his eyes, but his smile said it all.  
  
“Shut the fuck up so I can suck your dick,” Michael said, and Geoff let out a small laugh.  
  
“Oh- you didn’t want a running commentary? Because I have so- _mmph,”_ Geoff laughed into the kiss that Michael used to silence him, whining when Michael bit at his lower lip for good measure.  
  
With that, Michael pulled Geoff’s boxer briefs down and tossed them somewhere, making Geoff briefly consider the mess of clothes that Michael had created around the bed before the entire line of thought flew from his mind as Michael got his hand around Geoff’s dick. Geoff inhaled deeply, and Michael started jacking him a bit, just getting into a bit of a rhythm and watching Geoff’s reaction.  
  
Geoff was trying really hard not to think about how this- well, this wasn’t usually how this went down for him. In the dark in the backseat of someone else’s car, in a shadowed corner of a crowded club, a hand job, a blow job, but never this close- never with this much light. Michael was jacking him with these measured movements, licking his lips idly as Geoff thrusted his hips up into the slide of Michael’s fist.  
  
“You uh- gonna put your mouth where your money is?” Geoff said, failing at trying not to sound breathless.  
  
“It’s the other way around, moron,” Michael said.  
  
“Unless you’re about to start jacking me off with dollar bills, I uh- I fucking doubt it,” Geoff said, and Michael cracked a laugh before meeting Geoff with those soft brown eyes and bringing his mouth to the head of Geoff’s cock.  
  
Geoff screwed his eyes shut for just a second before thinking better of it, and then watched as Michael suckled at the head of his cock, like he was thinking it over. He glanced up at Geoff through a fan of pale lashes, and then sunk down further.  
  
Geoff could feel Michael’s tongue move from sliding against the slit to licking firmly against the underside of his cock. Geoff let out a slow breath and tried to think about anything but the delicate way Michael’s pink mouth wrapped around his cock, the flutter of his eyelashes like he hadn’t done this in a while and was trying to relearn the bicycle.  
  
“God-,” Geoff moaned out when Michael started to move over Geoff’s cock in time with the movement of his hand, going a bit faster once he got the knack of it.  
  
“I- fuck- I know I had big talk about the running commentary,” Geoff joked, breath catching in his throat as Michael hummed around his length in acknowledgement, “I hate to disappoint- _fuck_ your _mouth,”_ Geoff whined, unable to finish the thought.  
  
Geoff gently tangled his hand into Michael’s curls, felt motivated by the vibration of Michael’s small hum, inaudible. He tugged at it a bit, letting out a choked moan of his own when Michael sunk down even further on Geoff’s cock in reaction, and Geoff could feel the flutter of his throat briefly before Michael pulled away again. Geoff pulled at Michael’s hair harder and Michael whined, fought the pull to all but gag himself of Geoff’s cock, wet and messy and Geoff could get off just from this, from the watery look to Michael’s eyes.  
  
Michael pulled off all at once, hands going gently to Geoff’s wrists where his hands were still in Michael’s hair, “I uh- fuck, um. Do you wanna fuck me?”  
  
Geoff’s breathing must have fucking stopped, because Michael was looking at him with his pink mouth and messy hair, looking fucked out and desperate with a voice near-wrecked, and Geoff could barely process all that information at once. He blinked for a second and Michael started to back off, flush creeping up his neck.  
  
“We don’t- if you don’t-,” Michael stuttered, running a nervous hand through his hair.  
  
Geoff caught the hand and brought it to his chest, “Oh my god- yes, I’m sorry I’m just- fuck yes I want to fuck you, is that even a question?”  
  
“Well don’t leave me hanging then, asshole,” Michael laughed out, snatching his hand away.  
  
“You don’t even know how gorgeous you look right now, I uh- I needed a second,” Geoff said, licking his lips and letting his eyes travel up and down Michael’s body.  
  
“Yeah?” Michael said after a second, grin evident in his voice even if Geoff couldn’t see it plain as day on his face. What a fucking tease.  
  
“Just a- a second,” Geoff said, licking his lips again and cursing his tripping tongue and Michael’s freckles for drawing a lengthy distraction.  
  
Michael moved closer in Geoff’s lap, wrapped his arms around Geoff’s neck, “Do I make you feel… discomposed?” Michael had started to palm himself through his boxer briefs, looking at Geoff with a sense of hunger behind his eyes.  
  
Geoff let out a breath and settled his hands on Michael’s hips, “Big words- yes yeah, a- a little,”  
  
“I know some words. I bet you know some words,” Michael said, a little more breathless as he teased himself, the fabric of his underwear wetting as he started leaking precome.  
  
“A few,” Geoff replied, throat dry.  
  
“Use ‘em,” Michael said, leaning close to Geoff’s ear, _“Tell me you wanna fuck me,”_  
  
“I can do that,” Geoff said, nodding as Michael nipped at his earlobe briefly before pulling away.  
  
“I bet you can d- fuck, c’mon tell me, tell me,” Michael said, bouncing himself in Geoff’s lap a bit as he pressed the heel of his palm along the length of himself.  
  
“I want. To fuck. You.” Geoff said against Michael’s mouth, hot breath between them as he hauled Michael even closer to him by his ass, squeezing deliberately.  
  
“Yeah?” Michael said, breathless.  
  
“I wanna press you into the mattress, I wanna fuck you _hard,”_ Geoff said, and then leaned into Michael’s neck, loving all at once the way Michael leaned his head back to give Geoff more access.  
  
_“Hard,”_ Michael whined as Geoff sucked a mark high on his neck.  
  
Geoff pulled away and brought his face close to Michael’s again, “Yeah, do you want me to fuck you _hard?”_  
  
“Yeah,” Michael sighed.  
  
“Yeah,” Geoff said, and then they were a flurry of hands and mouths and finger-shaped bruises on each other’s hips.  
  
Geoff wasted no time getting Michael’s boxer briefs out of the way and laying him out on the bed beneath him, miles of pale skin begging for contact. Geoff pulled lube and a condom from his bedside table drawer, lubed up his fingers, and waited for Michael’s go-ahead to press one in. Michael grit his teeth and Geoff moved up his body to capture his mouth in a kiss, swallowing the sounds that Michael made, whispering to ask if he was still okay and feeling relief at his distinct nod. He kissed Michael senseless, feeling so long that it started to feel stranger when Michael’s mouth wasn’t against him than when it was. Like saying a word over and over again until it was nothing but a jumble of syllables, a feeling in your mouth.  
  
Geoff prepped Michael quick and dirty upon his request, and before he knew it Michael was tearing open the condom and sliding over Geoff’s length with this laser-focus in the midst of sweat and rush and _now._  
  
“C’mon, c’mon,” Michael said, leaning back against the bed again once Geoff drizzled lube over the length of his cock and jacked himself a bit.  
  
Geoff guided himself into Michael’s entrance, going slowly as he dared before Michael met him the rest of the way, sliding down like he was god damn made for it.  
  
“Oh _fuck,”_ Geoff groaned, and Michael was nodding, breath coming heavy.  
  
“Fuck me- _fuck me,”_ Michael repeated like some kind of incantation, and Geoff had always been susceptible to spells that fell from the curve of a beautiful mouth.  
  
Geoff thrusted into him slow at first, and then faster, quickly finding the pace that Michael was urging him to be at. Michael threw his arms around Geoff’s neck and kissed him, making Geoff’s thrust stutter a bit before finding the beat again, punching a gasp out of Michael every other thrust.  
  
Geoff grabbed Michael’s wrists where they had locked around Geoff’s neck and pulled his head out of their loop before pinning them above Michael’s head, nearly choking on arousal of the soft way that Michael’s expression changed once he realized what Geoff had done.  
  
“This- _mm-_ this okay?” Geoff gasped out, and Michael nodded.  
  
“Yeah, yeah- _ah,_ please, _fuck,”_ Michael whined, and he fought slightly against Geoff’s hold, cheeks flushing and branching down his neck to his chest, pink and gorgeous.  
  
“God you- fuck, you look so good like this,” Geoff said, and Michael licked his lips and met Geoff’s gaze from hooded eyes.  
  
“Yeah? _Fuck me,_ yeah, _oh-,”_ Michael moaned, thrusting his hips against Geoff erratically, “I’m- fuck I’m coming I- _ah!”_  
  
Geoff caught the sudden ecstasy that washed over Michael’s face, dissipating his flush as he came in stripes over his abdomen. Geoff kissed Michael’s near-slack mouth and thrusted a few more times before he came, _“Fuuuck,”_ buried deep inside Michael.  
  
They stayed the tangle of limbs they had become for a while, until Michael whined about them getting glued together by his come being pretty fucking gross. Geoff chuckled and rolled off of him, pulling out simultaneously and wrenching a whimper out of Michael. Geoff grabbed someone’s t-shirt and wiped down their stomachs, tied off the condom and tossed it into his little trash can with surprising accuracy.  
  
“Oh, I totally made that in one shot,” Geoff rasped, and Michael chuckled into his pillow, making Geoff smile involuntarily, “What?”  
  
“You’re a fucking loser,” Michael said when he pulled his face out of the pillow.  
  
“Yeah? Well you’re fucking a loser, so I think it’s win-win. Or lose-lose. Loser-loser? But I’m pretty confident about the win-win thing,” Geoff said, tilting his head as if he was giving it a lot of thought.  
  
Michael’s laugh turned into a groan, “Oh my god, shut up,”  
  
“You’re a dream at pillow talk, has anyone ever told you that?” Geoff said, batting his eyelashes exaggeratedly.  
  
“You’d be blessed to follow my example,” Michael said.  
  
“Oh really?” Geoff said, getting closer to him on the bed.  
  
“Yeah, I’m pretty skilled, you’re in the presence of a professional.” Michael faux-bragged, and Geoff let out a dramatic gasp.  
  
“A professional,” Geoff said, “Wow, and here I was thinking that what we have is something-,”  
  
Michael grabbed Geoff’s face and pressed their noses together, “Shut up and kiss me, you miserable bastard,”  
  
“Well all you had to do was ask, honey,” Geoff said, and Michael let out a too-loud laugh into their kiss.  
  
They laid like that for a bit, just joking and making out. Briefly, Geoff settled with himself that the suspension was worth it- more than worth it. They could have told him that he couldn’t come back till Spring and it’d still be worth it for this right here. And he’d do it again. Radio love or some shit like that. Yeah, totally fucking worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yooooooooooooooooooooooooo  
> yeah i know i know, but it's here!
> 
> I hope you guys liked this one I got stuck on it for a bit there, but I really liked the way it turned out!
> 
> Chapter 14 will be up this coming week!
> 
> if you did like this chapter, leave kudos if you haven't already, and leave me a comment letting me know what you think!!!!!! ♥


	14. Chapter 14

Snow.  
  
Well, it was more like slush now, after Geoff and Michael had spent more than a few hours in bed with Geoff letting Michael splay across his chest, asleep. Geoff combed his fingers through Michael’s hair absently, his other hand holding up a worn book that he had read a few times already. He read through old underlined passages and tried to remember what he liked about them, and this was how Michael found him when he woke up.  
  
“What’reyoudoin’?” Michael mumbled, sitting up only enough to sit his chin on Geoff’s chest.  
  
“Watching you sleep,” Geoff chuckled quietly.  
  
“Doesn’t look like it,” Michael responded, and reached a hand out to angle Geoff’s chin towards him.  
  
“Well I was for a while, but then you stopped sleep-talking so it got boring,” Geoff tapped Michael on the nose with the tip of his finger lightly, and Michael caught his hand.  
  
“Shut up, I don’t talk in my sleep,” Michael said, and bit lightly at Geoff’s finger before releasing it.  
  
Geoff snatched his finger back and frowned, “You do.”  
  
“I don’t.”  
  
“Well you’ll never know anyway, and you can either take word for it or not,” Geoff said, running a hand through Michael’s curls again like he couldn’t help it  
  
“I think I’d know if I- no,” Michael whined when Geoff started to get up, “where’re you _going,”_  
  
“C’mon get up, the phone’s been ringing and I’m at least half-sure it’s the guys calling to ask if it’s safe to come back,” Geoff said, sitting on the edge of the bed to pull on his underwear and pants.  
  
“You took all of your warmth with you, come back,” Michael said, sliding his hands up the warmth of Geoff’s back.  
  
Geoff hummed a laugh and stood up, “Don’t pout, c’mon,” he said, and leaned down to kiss him quickly, pulling another vague whine from Michael.  
  
“Ugh,” Michael said, sitting up more fully now and pulling the sheet off of himself. Geoff paused to take in the renaissance-esque painting that Michael made of himself naked on Geoff’s bed. Geoff had always felt a weird distaste for writing and movies and other garbage that sat around describing a naked person as larger-than-life, but seeing Michael post-sleep and post-orgasm laid out on his bed made him suddenly understand.  
  
“Never mind,” Geoff said, leaning down to kiss Michael’s chest.  
  
Michael giggled and shoved him off, “Fuck you, you had your chance,”  
  
“How stupid of me,” Geoff mumbled, kissing up Michael’s neck.  
  
“I agree,” Michael said, pulling him up to kiss him on the mouth teasingly, which is right about when the phone rang.  
  
Geoff groaned and Michael laughed against his mouth, pushed at his shoulders until he was less leaning on Michael and more standing up straight. Geoff scrunched up his face as the phone continued to ring and Michael rolled his eyes.  
  
“Go get it!” Michael yelled through his laughter, and Geoff grumbled under his breath as he went to answer the phone.  
  
Michael shivered a bit at the cold and took a moment to go to the window and see the bed of ice that the snow had created, slushy mess on the windowsill and in the streets. He brought the sheet with him and let it drag behind him like a cloak as he watched the streets, eerily silent even when he opened the window.  
  
“I, uh-,” Geoff started, words catching in his throat when Michael turned, “Fuck, what was I saying?”  
  
Michael hummed out a laugh, “Did you get a little lost there, Geoff?”  
  
“Um- uh,” Geoff licked his lips and looked away to gather his thoughts, “That was,” he gestured over his shoulder, “Jack on the phone, said we should meet them for dinner.”  
  
“I could eat,” Michael said, a hand touching at his stomach briefly.  
  
“Could you get dressed- uh, also?” Geoff said, chuckling nervously.  
  
“Oh Geoff, I’d love to,” Michael said, leaning over to pick up his shirt, “But someone used my fucking shirt to clean up a- a mess.”  
  
He tossed the shirt at Geoff who ducked out of the way with a laugh, “In my defense, it’s your come.”  
  
“So, you use _my_ shirt?” Michael yelled, but his smile was impossible to turn off.  
  
“Well-,” Geoff let out another laugh and went to rifle through his dresser, “here.” He tossed the first shirt he found in Michael’s direction, and Michael caught it with a smirk.  
  
“Are we sharing clothes now? Can I wear your jacket?” Michael asked, slipping the too-big shirt over his head in one movement before pulling on his boxer briefs, dropping the sheet on the floor.  
  
Geoff took a breath, “But- I- it’s cold outside,” he whined a bit, and Michael sauntered over to him with this fucking look, and Geoff wasn’t prepared for the effect it had, the tingling of his spine.  
  
“Please? I’ll be good,” Michael said, looping his arms around Geoff’s neck and swaying them slightly.  
  
Geoff swallowed silently, “Will you be bad if I _don’t_ let you wear it?”  
  
“Maybe.” Michael said, pressing kisses into the tattoos that lined Geoff’s collarbone  
  
“Christ.” Geoff breathed out, closing his eyes for a second and then pushing Michael an arm’s length away, “You can wear the jacket.”  
  
“Fuck yeah I can,” Michael said, and then turned quickly out of Geoff’s grasp to grab for the jacket where it was slung over the desk chair. He pulled it on and Geoff quickly filed away the image of Michael in Geoff’s shirt with the neckline stretching long past his collarbones, leather jacket overtop, with only his stupid red boxer-briefs on. He’d kill for Ryan’s little camera right about now.  
  
“How do I look- do I look like a punk?” Michael asked, quirking an eyebrow jokingly.  
  
“You can’t just put on a leather jacket and look punk, it’s an attitude,” Geoff said, looking around in his dresser for another clean shirt for himself.  
  
“Oh, do I need to double pierce my ears? Where are your earrings, I’ll fuckin’ do it,” Michael said, walking up to press himself to Geoff’s back, “Are there other accessories, do I need make-up?”  
  
“Shut up, jesus christ,” Geoff chuckled, subtly eyeing the drawer that he knew had more of the punk garb he would toss on if he was going to something particularly fucking edgy or whatever. It wasn’t required to heavy-up his look to go to certain scenes, but it didn’t hurt and he liked fucking doing it.  
  
“I’m trying to embrace your lifestyle, I’m supporting you!” Michael laughed in his ear, biting at it briefly.  
  
“There’s not- I mean there’s other things to wear, it’s like- I mean, it’s-,” Geoff struggled to get the words out, and Michael started pulling open drawers in his dresser.  
  
“Gimme the uh- the jewelry, do I get like uhh a cool fuckin’ necklace?” Michael said, grinning when he glanced over more of Geoff’s needlework in one drawer, “Are there bracelets?”  
  
“Well- here,” Geoff said with a shrug, reaching into the drawer at random and tossing an item to Michael while he finally pulled on a shirt.  
  
“What is this- is this a fucking collar?” Michael asked, and Geoff let out a panicked laugh, turning to look at what Michael had.  
  
“It’s- oh my god- it’s a choker,” Geoff said, rubbing at his forehead in something resembling embarrassment. He supposed it was kind of embarrassing, the choker was leather and black and had spikes on it, and he definitely bought it with a kind of unsurety that he’d ever wear it. He had, a few times.  
  
“That- I’m not gonna lie- that’s not making it sound any better,” Michael said, holding it in front of his neck in the mirror.  
  
“It’s- c’mere,” Geoff grabbed the choker from Michael’s hands and latched it around his neck, the thick black band of it a deep contrast to the pale of Michael’s skin.  
  
Geoff stepped aside to let Michael look in the mirror, standing behind Michael while he inspected the look of it on his neck. Michael reached for it and tugged at it a bit as he tried to figure out how he felt about it.  
  
“Is it too tight?” Geoff asked, and tugged at it a bit from the back of his neck.  
  
Michael licked his lips and tried to figure out how to say that yes it was definitely one notch too tight but he didn’t really fucking mind. It was kind of nice in a strangely familiar way, how it hindered his breathing a bit, made him much more aware of his swallowing. It looked good too, lengthened his neck, and the dull spikes that were spaced out on the thing were alluring. Michael licked at his lips again, feeling a little spacey as he tried to speak, when he realized that the feeling of it was familiar because it reminded him of shoving his face into his pillow to calm his breathing. This was different though.  
  
“Michael?”  
  
“I- uh, yeah a little light-headed here,” Michael started, and Geoff’s hands returned to the back of the choker to loosen it, but Michael caught his wrist, “I mean, it’s- I’m not really bothered.”  
  
“Oh?” Geoff tugged on it again, no longer trying to loosen it, but maybe testing Michael’s reaction to the squeeze of it.  
  
“Yeah- yeah,” Michael got out, licking his lips and trying not to grin as his dick started to pay attention.  
  
“Okay,” Geoff said quietly, and then unhooked the choker and took it off.  
  
Michael looked at him in question, and Geoff blinked a lot as he placed the choker carefully on the dresser. Geoff kissed his temple and then opened his mouth to speak, first laughing when the words wouldn’t come.  
  
“I uh- don’t think that I’ll forget that,” Geoff said, tracing a line across Michael’s neck with a single finger, “I’m fully gonna- gonna _not_ forget that. But if we keep this up, we’re not gonna eat until tomorrow.”  
  
“Is food really what you’re worried about right now?” Michael asked, turning to face Geoff and sliding his hands beneath his shirt, looking at up at him through long lashes.  
  
“I’m worried that- that you’re never gonna put pants on and we’ll be found starved to death and dehydrated and,” Geoff mellowed into Michael’s embrace and settled his hands on his ass.  
  
Michael chuckled, “And?”  
  
Geoff sighed, “And, as much as it would be a joy to be discovered dead with our dicks out-,”  
  
“Jesus, Geoff,”  
  
“We should go. We should go, we should go,” Geoff said like he was trying to convince himself, and Michael rolled his eyes and pulled him in for a kiss, teasing his tongue into Geoff’s mouth to draw out a half-disappointed sigh at the idea that they have to go out and be people or whatever.  
  
“Oh wait- I need to like. Let my roommates know that I’m fucking alive or whatever,” Michael said when they pulled apart, and a wave of everything he had forgotten about washed over him. Shit, he really kind of forgot the entire outside world.  
  
“Phone’s in the kitchen,” Geoff said, slipping on a black hoodie as he spoke.  
  
“Cool,” Michael said, and walked out of the room while Geoff went to the living room. Michael dialed the number to his dorm and glanced at the clock before he heard the line pick up.  
  
“Go for Jeremy,” Jeremy’s voice broke the silence, and Michael felt like he hadn’t heard his voice in fucking ages.  
  
“Hey, it’s Michael,” Michael said, glancing at Geoff who was sitting on the couch.  
  
“Where’ve you been, man?” Jeremy asked, voice crackling a bit through the speaker.  
  
Michael scratched the back of his neck absently, “I’m… well, I’m at Geoff’s,”  
  
“Yeah? Dude, that’s awesome!” Jeremy said, and Michael could feel his stupid eyebrows waggling from here.  
  
“It’s pretty great, yeah,” Michael chuckled.  
  
“Are you staying over there tonight?” Jeremy asked.  
  
“Um, I don’t know actually-,” as he spoke Geoff was crossing the room to him, “we’re about to go to get food?”  
  
“Cool,”  
  
“Yeah- yeah you guys should come,” Michael said, trying not to giggle as Geoff put his arms around him from behind, “we’re going out with his friends or whatever,”  
  
“Sure yeah, I’ll see if Ray’s alive and we’ll meet you at-?”  
  
Michael was wrapped up in the cord by the time he could answer, and Geoff grabbed the phone to tell him the name of the place before hanging up the phone and effectively locking Michael into the twisted cord.  
  
“You prick,” Michael said, and picked up the phone to unwrap himself from the spiral of cord.  
  
“I try,” Geoff said, and with that, Michael quickly pulled on a pair of pants and they took off.  
  
**  
  
“You have a car?” Michael asked, and Geoff barked out a laugh as they got into the car.  
  
“No, this is Ryan’s car, I can barely afford to look at this thing,” Geoff said as they pulled out of the parking spot.  
  
“It’s pretty nice.” Michael said, glancing at the leather interior appreciatively.  
  
“It’s okay.” Geoff mumbled.  
  
“So, Geoff,” Michael started, taking a breath as he realized that if he didn’t get it all out in the air now, it would probably come out later and he would wish it hadn’t.  
  
“Michael.” Geoff said, glancing at Michael before refocusing on the road.  
  
“I didn’t- uh, so I may have maybe forgotten to mention something. To you.” Michael said, almost laughing at the easy stumble of his words.  
  
“Okay.”  
  
“I’m just gonna say it, because I don’t think there’s another way to do it,” Michael went on, staring straight ahead.  
  
“You could always- uh write me a letter?” Geoff said, chuckling nervously like he was trying to delay Michael’s confession as much as Michael was.  
  
“Geoff.”  
  
“Michael.”  
  
“Geoff, I wasn’t the guy who Ryan was talking to on AOL.” Michael said, and thought himself pretty clever for summing it up pretty easily.  
  
“Okay- what?” Geoff said, like he almost understood but not quite.  
  
“So, um. Jeremy- my roommate, great guy, salt of the earth-,” Michael started, and Geoff interrupted.  
  
“Uh huh?” Geoff’s face was twisted into a strange confusion, like he wasn’t fucking sure where it was going.  
  
“He was talking to Ryan, who seems- uh, he seems nice,” Michael said, lilting his voice a bit at the end of the sentence and shrugging a bit.  
  
“My Ryan?” Geoff asked, and Michael was convinced he was acting dumb just to act dumb.  
  
“Your fuckin’- yeah, Ryan. They talked, on the computer.” Michael said, saying it slowly and clearly.  
  
“Okay?” Geoff said, or asked, or something.  
  
“And then Jeremy, kinda nervous- he’s kind of a nervous guy but he’s cool, he’s fine.” Michael said, and now he felt like he was trying to reassure Geoff, like Geoff was putting out this worry-filled vibe that Michael wanted to soothe.  
  
“Michael you’re killing me here,” Geoff said, voice almost a whine.  
  
Michael let out a breath and then quickly said, “Jeremy maybe definitely paid me to go out on those dates with Ryan- who turned out to be _you,_ and _not_ Ryan which is- uh, yeah now we’re here.”  
  
“Wait so- the same thing that I was doing was also what you were doing- what?” Geoff said, glancing at Michael with worry-crease between his brows.  
  
“Yeah, no you got it that’s about right.” Michael said, nodding.  
  
“Didn’t- isn’t that what you were mad at me about?” Geoff asked, voice cracking.  
  
“Well, it probably seemed like that, but it was mostly because it sounded like-,” Michael started.  
  
“We did the same thing and you fucking- what!?” Geoff yelled, and Michael licked his lips and took a breath.  
  
“No I’m totally justified-,” Michael said, and Geoff grumbled as he continued, “you and Ryan were yelling and then you said you didn’t give a shit about me-,”  
  
“Well I didn’t mean that!” Geoff yelled, hands coming up to gesture wildly as he rounded a corner.  
  
“How could I have possibly known that?” Michael said solidly, and Geoff’s face was still twisted in vague confusion.  
  
“You- well- okay?” Geoff eventually stuttered out, his voice ten times higher than when they started this conversation.  
  
“Okay.” Michael said, and then let out a chuckle.  
  
“Don’t laugh!” Geoff yelled, voice cracking again.  
  
“Why not?” Michael laughed out, holding his gut.  
  
“I- I don’t fucking know!” Geoff said, and Michael laughed harder as they pulled into parking on the side of the road near the place.  
  
Michael undid his seatbelt and leaned over to pull Geoff into a kiss, feeling his face relax into it. He pulled away and thumbed at the space between Geoff’s eyebrows until he was rolling his eyes and smiling again.  
  
“Is this where we’re eating?” Michael said, changing the subject so they didn’t get way too heated in Ryan’s car of all places.  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“Looks like a bar,” Michael said, and it really did.  
  
“It’s a restaurant bar,” Geoff explained, fingers stroking through the curls at the nape of Michael’s neck.  
  
“Oh hell yeah, I’m getting _druuunk,”_ Michael said, laughing a bit.  
  
“Uh oh,” Geoff mumbled against Michael’s neck.  
  
“Uh oh is right, you better watch out,” Michael chuckled out, and Geoff groaned exaggeratedly.  
  
“But I gave you the jacket! You said you’d behave.” Geoff grumbled, and Michael pulled him closer to whisper in his ear.  
  
“I might’ve lied.”  
  
Geoff licked his lips almost nervously and stared at Michael’s hand where it was fisted in his shirt, glancing at Michael’s face briefly and then down at the hand again. He was about two fucking seconds from peeling off back toward the apartment or tossing Michael bodily into the backseat, and it was so much worse because Michael’s face said that he fucking knew it. Geoff was picturing that stupid choker around Michael’s neck and maybe nothing else and Michael could see it written all over his stupid face.  
  
Geoff takes a steadying breath like he’s about to suggest they skip dinner after all, and then there’s a startling knock at the window.  
  
_“AH!”_ Geoff shouted, and turned to see the laughing faces of his idiot friends.  
  
“C’mon then lovebirds, some of us are starving!” Gavin yelled, and Michael laughed.  
  
Michael quirked an eyebrow and positively purposely leaned over Geoff’s lap to open the driver’s side door, and apparently had no issue crawling over his legs and sticking his ass in Geoff’s face to get out the door. Geoff shivered at more than just the cold, and Michael grinned and held a hand out to help Geoff out of the car.  
  
Geoff took it, got out of the car, and adjusted his pants in what he hoped was a subtle way, closed the driver’s side door and leaned against the car for a second as he lit a cigarette first for Michael then himself. Most of the slush was just a sheen of liquid that had slicked the roads by now, the only remnants of it discolored in the gutters of the streets, and made it seem like they were closer to winter than they thought. Michael let out a breath and it was visible, still, in the air between them.  
  
“Am I gonna regret letting you out of my bedroom?” Geoff said after he took a drag of the cigarette.  
  
“Only until you let me back in it,” Michael said and blew smoke in his face before running to catch up with Gavin and the guys as they walked toward the bar.  
  
“Shit,” Geoff said under his breath, except it didn’t feel like shit at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uhhhhhhhhhh wassup, it isn't 4am between sunday night and monday morning, so i count that as a win
> 
> hope you guys liked this one!
> 
> if you did, leave kudos if you haven't already and leave a comment letting me know what you think! ♥
> 
> EDIT 3/13/18: sorry for the delay! expect an update sometime this week!


	15. Chapter 15

They got into the place and Geoff immediately took in that, though it was a restaurant bar, it was definitely more bar than restaurant. Which was fine, it was loud and dimly lit and cozy, and none of the guys seemed to particularly mind that more people were drinking than eating. Geoff was sure they’d be doing a hefty helping of both- at least if Michael had anything to do with it.  
  
Geoff and Michael shot each other sly glances, Geoff’s eyes finding an unfathomable attraction to the line of his neck where his lips felt fuzzy in remembering the press against Michael’s skin. Michael had already caught him looking more than once, a small smile curling bigger and bigger as they made their way to a rounded booth in a back corner. Geoff and Michael found themselves squeezed together in the middle with Jack, Ryan, and Gavin flanking them on either side, and Geoff licked his lips in some strange phantom anticipation. Of what, he didn’t know.  
  
Gavin squealed when they sat, “Oh Geoff, you’ve gone and given him your jacket-!”  
  
“Adorable,” Jack interjected.  
  
“It’s tooth-achingly sweet is what it is,” Gavin continued, and Michael sunk effervescently into the oversized leather, shooting a glazed look at Geoff.  
  
Geoff let out a breath and glanced away, “I- I lent it to him, I’m _lending_ it.”  
  
“Well, we’ll see,” Michael said, and the guys snickered while Geoff pouted.  
  
“We’ll _see?”_ Geoff said, right when the server arrived at their booth  
  
“Hey- okay,” Ryan intervened, his laugh breaking up his words a bit, “let’s- we should get food, let’s shift gears here,”  
  
“And drinks!” Michael added.  
  
They ordered food and drinks for the table, Ryan and Geoff opting for diet coke and nodding to each other in a quiet sense of solidarity. Michael was practically vibrating next to Geoff, the energy infectious to the rest of the guys, bouncing off of each other like satellites. Geoff was tempted to pull one of the guys aside and ask just _how much_ they talked to Michael when Geoff was out for how easily the conversation flowed out of Michael’s mouth. He was the center of attention, pulling laughs out of them and barely pausing to take a breath. It was a whole side of Michael that Geoff hadn’t considered before- Michael in the social scene. He was a god damn natural, and for some reason a swell of pride formed in Geoff’s chest, and under the table he interlocked their fingers, heart singing when Michael squeezed his hand and didn’t falter in his words.  
  
“So where’re you from, Michael?” Jack said at a lull, and Michael nodded as he picked fries off Geoff’s plate while Geoff tried futilely to fight him off.  
  
“East Coast,” Michael started, still chewing a bite of food.  
  
“Yeah, don’t you remember the screenname Jack?” Ryan said, chuckling as Jack rolled his eyes.  
  
“Well I wasn’t the one chatting with him on AOL, Ryan, forgive me for not remembering all the details,”  
  
Geoff stared resolutely down at his plate as Michael swallowed and let out a brief chuckle followed by, “Um, actually-,”  
  
“Michael!” they heard from the direction of the entrance, all turning to see who it was. Geoff craned his neck over Michael’s head and caught sight of two guys walking toward their hidden corner of the place.  
  
“Hey!” Michael said, standing as much as he could in the crowded booth and waving them over. Geoff nodded in realization that they were his roommates and continued picking at his plate, but not before catching Ryan’s shoulders tightening up and a brief flash of blush creeping up his neck.  
  
“What?” Geoff said, uninterested but just curious enough to ask.  
  
“Um-,” Ryan started, but then the two guys reached their table and Michael started trying to introduce everyone, only to be interrupted by- well, by pretty much everybody.  
  
“Guys, these are my roommates, Ray, Jeremy, this is-,”  
  
“Ray!”  
  
“Gavin.”  
  
“Ryan?”  
  
“Jeremy?”  
  
The booth was half laughter and weird handshakes and half confused glances between Jack, Geoff, and Michael who had no idea how the fuck any part of this exchange was happening in real time without him having said anything.  
  
“Oh it’s uh- that uh, that guy,” Geoff said after a minute of Ray, Gavin, Ryan, and Jeremy murmuring to each other about the alleged coincidence. Michael blinked at him with an amused smile and Geoff shrugged and gestured to Ray, who he remembered being introduced to.  
  
“What the fuck is going on?” Jack asked, and the four looked between each other with only a portion of the confusion written on Jack’s face.  
  
“I have no fucking clue, Jack,” Michael chuckled, rolling into a full laugh and leaning into Geoff’s side with it.  
  
“Okay,” Geoff clapped and rubbed his hands together before resting an elbow on Michael’s head playfully, “Explain, idiots.”  
  
“You know Ray, Geoff,” Gavin said, and Ray waved with two fingers before slipping into the booth beside Gavin.  
  
“Yeah the uh- trashcan piss guy-,”  
  
“The- _what!?”_ Michael yelled, and banged the table with his fist as a laugh poured out of him.  
  
“Oh, my god,” Ray said, staring down at the table as the table joined Michael in laughter.  
  
“But what about uh-,” Geoff gestured to Michael’s other roommate who waved and tried to figure where to sit in the overflowing booth.  
  
“Jeremy,” he said, cheeks a little pink as he had to squeeze in next to Ryan.  
  
“Cool, so you know- oh okay. _Jeremy._ You’re-,” Geoff started, turning to Michael who then interrupted him.  
  
“Right back to what I was saying- Ryan-,” Michael started, and then Geoff shook his head in disbelief as he glanced between Ryan and Jeremy.  
  
“Wait you guys know each other,” Geoff said, sounding more like a question than he meant it to, “wait, wait- but Michael-,”  
  
“Just let me _say it,_ Geoffrey calm down,” Michael said, holding Geoff’s arm as if holding him back, and the guys laughed a bit at Geoff’s scolding.  
  
“Well-,” Geoff almost started again, and then deflated.  
  
“Ryan!” Michael spoke over him and Ryan sat up straighter.  
  
“Michael!” Ryan responded in the same tone.  
  
“I wasn’t the one talking to you on AOL.”  
  
“Oh-kay?” Ryan said, tilting his head.  
  
“It was Jeremy.” Michael said, and then sat back again, job done.  
  
“Oh my god.” Jeremy said, and Ryan turned to him with a heavily amused squint as Jeremy put his head in his hands.  
  
“Oh my god?” Ryan responded, less like he was asking Jeremy and more like he was asking himself.  
  
“I’m- I need another drink,” Michael said, and Jack signaled the server to bring them another round as he spoke.  
  
“Michael,” Jeremy said, when he finally looked up and Michael blinked as he took a long sip of a fruity cocktail that the server had brought him.  
  
“What.” Michael said.  
  
“Remember the guy I told you about?”  
  
Geoff watched Michael shake his head slowly, and then blink to life and nod, “Yeah?”  
  
Jeremy let out a chuckle, “He may. Or may not. Well, okay so like-,”  
  
“It’s me. I’m the guy he’s seeing.” Ryan said, and Jeremy gestured to say that he was right.  
  
Michael’s tickled confusion expressed through his every limb, Geoff wincing when an elbow found his ribs as Michael thrashed in laughter, _“Wha- wha- what!?”_  
  
Michael grabbed for his drink again as they nodded dumbly, and Geoff scrunched his face up as he did the math, hands pointing between the two of them and then back between Michael and himself. Michael had gulped down half of his drink and was bouncing in his seat with the giggles as he gestured for the server to come back around and top him off.  
  
Geoff shook his head and took a breath, “So-,”  
  
“Yeah,” Ryan said, and Geoff let his head fall and land on Michael’s shoulder.  
  
“God, did we all just waste like a month and a half?” Geoff asked, and Michael leaned his head against Geoff’s.  
  
“Well, not totally wasted.” Michael said quietly.  
  
“No- no of course not, but what the fuck? What the fuck?” Geoff said, sitting up again, and everyone who was still paying attention kind of shrugged.  
  
“So, you two could’ve been boning this whole time!” Gavin said, laughing as he pointed between Geoff and Michael.  
  
Michael tilted his head in amusement and turned to Geoff, “What’s he talking about?”  
  
Geoff licked his lips and shot Gavin a look, “Uh-,”  
  
“Geoff was all bent out of shape since what- date number two?” Gavin went on, completely oblivious.  
  
Jack turned to Michael and quietly added, “It was date number one-,”  
  
“Sayin’ he wouldn’t fuck up the deal with Ryan but he wanted it _so bad-,”_ Gavin went on, enjoying the sound of his own voice as they spoke just beneath it.  
  
“Since date _one?”_ Michael said to Geoff, who opened and closed his mouth wordlessly.  
  
“Well-,” Geoff started, attention diverted to Gavin as he continued.  
  
“All he would talk about, _‘Oh Gav, it’s so hard you don’t understand, waaah’_ wouldn’t let us _near_ you,” Gavin said, fighting laughter while Ryan and Jack failed to do the same.  
  
Geoff glared, “Wouldn’t let _you_ near him you animal-,”  
  
“And me,” Ryan said nearly cutting off Gavin’s remark of, “Rude!”  
  
“Since date _one!?”_ Michael yelled at Geoff, who refused to meet his gaze.  
  
It went silent for a moment like everyone was waiting for Geoff to respond to Michael, “Well- wh- uh- it was _Jack’s_ idea!” Geoff eventually said, voice cracking.  
  
“Don’t drag me into this!” Jack laughed out.  
  
Gavin continued his tale of events, “I told him, I said why should Ryan get to fuck and you can’t-,”  
  
_“Date one!?”_ Michael yelled, and Geoff turned to see Michael’s features on the cusp of a laugh, took a breath that didn’t help and burst out.  
  
“IT’S BEEN A WHILE, OKAY?”  
  
He was momentarily glad for the loudness of the place as he hadn’t drawn too much attention, but Michael’s laughter was worse as it joined the rest of the guys.  
  
“That’s not- oh my god Geoff, that’s not what I meant,”  
  
“How am I supposed to know what you mean?” Geoff yelled, voice cracking and he was half being facetious, but it felt better than being embarrassed, “Everyone’s all talking about ‘Oh Geoff what a loser wouldn’t fuck his maybe fake boyfriend who might really like stupid Ryan!’ Well laugh it up assholes! Newsflash, _it’s not fucking funny!”_  
  
Michael reached for his hand under the table and squeezed it, leaning in to whisper while everyone continued laughing and mimicking Geoff to each other in well-meaning jest, “You could’ve been fucking me that good for _over a month?”_  
  
Geoff blinked and stared straight ahead, wondering if anyone could notice the flush inching up his neck. Michael went on when Geoff didn’t respond, “How’re we gonna make up for lost time?”  
  
The question wouldn’t have been too bad, if it hadn’t been accompanied by Michael’s hand leaving Geoff’s to trail up his inner thigh. Geoff suddenly sat up straight, biting at his lip idly as he pretended to nod along to whatever conversation the guys had moved on to.  
  
“I thought you were gonna behave,” Geoff said quietly, not looking to see if Michael was still close enough to hear and going only by the heat of Michael’s close presence as it radiated onto him.  
  
“Maybe if you’d left my collar on I would,” Michael said, the whisper even quieter and closer against his ear, Michael’s teeth catching briefly on one of his earrings.  
  
Geoff swallowed, “It’s a choker.”  
  
“So choke me.”  
  
Geoff lurched forward as Michael’s hand went to his crotch while he spoke, and Geoff tried to laugh it off as something else when it caught the guys’ attention. Geoff grabbed Michael’s wrist and pulled it away, shaking his head and shooting a glance at Michael at last. Michael was smug, nodding along to something that Jeremy was saying as if he had been listening the whole time. He glanced back at Geoff only momentarily as if just to make sure that he had truly affected him. He had.  
  
Geoff licked at his teeth and tried to settle himself, sitting back a bit and doing his best impression of subtlety as he readjusted his pants. He looked up and tried to tune back into the conversation, stopping dead when he caught Gavin’s eye, glinting like he knew exactly what was going on. Geoff looked away immediately and joined in on the bout of laughter the guys had bubbled into, willing away Gavin’s knowing gaze with every cell in his body.  
  
Geoff spent the remainder of the dinner finding out that Michael was ravenously handsy when drunk, and he loved to drink. Michael was half in his lap by the time dessert arrived, and Geoff pointedly ignored the squint their server was shooting their way and half leaned away as they left. Michael, ever the heat-seeking missile to Geoff’s warm heart, only leaned with him. One of his hands had already found itself beneath Geoff’s shirt, stealing the heat of his warm back and fueling his fire.  
  
Geoff had all but given up on trying to communicate to Michael without words that he was not being even remotely subtle. Michael was still going on about pushing Geoff into the swimming pool on one of their dates and must’ve thought that the guys were giggling at the cute story and not the tactile exchange that Geoff was failing to control.  
  
Geoff licked his lips and willed his half-hard dick to fuck off as he finally grasped both of Michael’s wrists in hand and stilled him. He felt a moment of relief in the pink that had risen to Michael’s cheeks, glancing to Geoff once and then down to his bound wrists.  
  
“How am I s’posed to eat now, Geoff?” Michael slurred, blinking slowly at Geoff.  
  
Geoff rolled his eyes, grabbing the fork from the plate of cake in front of them with his free hand and showing it to Michael with the exaggerated gesture a showcase model on The Price is Right might use. Michael opened his mouth in an impression of someone who might find this ordeal impressive. Geoff got a piece of cake onto the fork and spooned it into Michael’s mouth, feeling the vessels beneath his skin constrict when the taut of Michael’s lip refused Geoff’s initial tug to retrieve the fork. Geoff swallowed at the indignant look in Michael’s eyes, smoldering into something else when Geoff narrowed his eyes.  
  
“Let go.” Geoff croaked quietly.  
  
Michael did, and Geoff smiled proudly which in turn caused Michael to feel the first flash of embarrassment he had all night, turning away as heat crawled up his throat. Geoff felt flames licking at his insides, and an inability to douse them restraining him.  
  
Jack cleared his throat, “Well! I had a great time tonight guys- we should get together again sometime.”  
  
“Oi Jack, they’re just getting to a good bit-,” Gavin started.  
  
Ryan interrupted, “Shut up Gavin, jesus christ,”  
  
“I’m just sayin’-!” Gavin yelled, stopped this time by Jack’s hand on his face, spluttering uselessly and falling out of the booth as a result.  
  
“C’mon, out everyone, you guys too,” Jack laughed out, following Ray out of the booth and then pointing to Geoff and Michael who might’ve missed the entire conversation.  
  
They stumbled out of the booth, Geoff holding Michael up by his waist in front of him half in an attempt to stop him from wobbling all over the place, and half to cover the straining erection tenting the front of his pants. Michael giggled as they finally met the chilled air just outside of the restaurant, the guys waving them off with quirked, knowing brows and glinted eyes. Geoff threw them the finger and man-handled Michael till they got back to Ryan’s car just a block away but feeling like a god damned mile.  
  
“You’re so- god you’re so _strong,”_ Michael muttered when Geoff half carried him to get him into the passenger seat, leaning in to kiss Michael chastely, not escaping before Michael pressed another hot kiss to the breadth of his exposed neck.  
  
Geoff groaned and pulled away, leaning into the open car door and staring at Michael’s doe-eyed façade of innocence gazing back at him for just a second before closing the door and crossing to the driver’s side.  
  
“It’s a good thing you don’t drink or we’d both be fucked,” Michael said, smile washing over him when he heard Geoff’s responding laugh.  
  
“Yeah, I can be handy like that sometimes,” Geoff said, grinning as he adjusted the rearview mirror.  
  
“You’re handy and I’m handsy,” Michael said, reaching to grasp for Geoff’s thigh, and only succeeding in pulling another chuckle from Geoff as he placed Michael’s hands back in his lap.  
  
He pulled out of the parking space and onto the road, glancing at Michael and watching him fumble with the seatbelt.  
  
Geoff laughed sweetly and reached over to buckle it for him one-handed, hand reaching to muss Michael’s lovely curls before going back to the steering wheel.  
  
(Michael really hadn’t meant for it to come out, he was drunk, and possibly meant it as a joke, but well.)  
  
“Thanks daddy.”  
  
Michael almost didn’t notice the slip, but Geoff nearly careening off the road with a hard swerve certainly made him aware of it, if not Geoff’s sudden cursing under his breath and flushed cheeks. Michael’s own cheeks burned as he silently scrambled for an explanation- for which he knew there was none. He had never said- that- to anyone before, maybe it was a joke? Maybe he was too drunk? Maybe his dick was tenting his pants and Michael knew better than to say it was either of the former. Fuck. He glanced at Geoff wordlessly. _Daddy._  
  
He shivered.  
  
“Don’t- do you- I. Fuck,” Geoff choked out, and Michael’s deer in the headlights look faded into a cheeky grin, and he unbuckled his seatbelt to slide across the bench seat to get closer to him.  
  
“What’s goin’ on up there hm?” Michael asked quietly, fingers entwining in Geoff’s hair, “Do you like that?”  
  
Geoff said nothing, biting at his lip and using every ounce of his concentration to get back to his fucking apartment. He didn’t even know what roads they were on anymore, hoping that sense memory would somehow take him there.  
  
“Hm?” Michael hummed, his other hand trailing up his thigh again as it had in the restaurant.  
  
“I gave you the jacket,” Geoff got out eventually, and Michael was playing it cool but he was just happy Geoff was speaking.  
  
“Lent.” Michael said, leaning hard on the _t_ sound.  
  
“You said you’d be good, Michael,” Geoff said, ignoring Michael in favor of his hand leaving the wheel to follow the inseam of Michael’s jeans.  
  
“Whoops.” Michael panted, leaning closer as Geoff undid his button and slowly tugged at the zipper.  
  
“I- I don’t think you’ve been very good tonight, do you?” Geoff continued, palming over Michael’s length over his underwear, pulling a sigh out of Michael like a breath he’d been holding.  
  
“Pull over.” Michael said against Geoff’s ear.  
  
“I’m not gonna fuck you in Ryan’s car.” Geoff said, though his hand was pulling Michael out of his underwear and slicking his length with the beads of precome that leaked from the head.  
  
“I don’t need rose petals and- _ah-_ candles,” Michael gasped out, clutching Geoff’s arm and nipping at his ear when he started to jerk Michael off in earnest.  
  
“Not because you’re fragile- you are, by the way-,” Geoff’s eyes briefly skimmed the porcelain of Michael’s skin and then away again, and Michael whined as he continued, “because I’m gonna make a fucking mess out of you, and I don’t think Ryan would appreciate it getting all over his car.”  
  
Geoff parked, and Michael suddenly realized his eyes had been closed for some time. He opened them and found they were parked at Geoff’s apartment building, and Geoff’s hand stilled at the base of his cock. Michael climbed into his lap and kissed him messily for a minute before Geoff moved him back to sit beside him, gesturing that they were very much in public.  
  
Michael whimpered as Geoff tucked him back into his pants and zipped him up, patting Michael’s hip lightly in comfort. Michael’s blood was on fire, roaring in his ears at the sense of calm that Geoff was maintaining, though Michael could see the tent in his pants as well.  
  
Geoff reached for the door-handle and Michael caught his other hand and squeezed it, his stomach swooping with a heat stronger than arousal, closer to fire, _“Please,”_ he said, and he didn’t know what he was asking for.  
  
“Please what?” Geoff asked, this calming almost cooing voice as Michael brought Geoff’s fingers to his mouth vaguely.  
  
_“Please daddy,”_ Michael whispered, and where he thought he’d feel embarrassed, he felt comforted and smoldered to ash, the fire in his stomach making his dick twitch in anticipation.  
  
“Yes, honey,” Geoff said, and kissed him sweetly. In the moment of it Michael felt he _was_ honey, syrupy and loose in Geoff’s gaze, golden and sweet.  
  
Idly, Geoff wondered if they were moving too fast, but maintained that being with Michael was like catching the last train out of town. He wasn’t sure where he was going, but he sure as hell wasn’t gonna miss it, no matter how fast it was going. It was infinitely better than staying behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this may have been the hardest chapter to write to date lmao
> 
> i'll try to get the next chapter out asap as possible, but uhhhhhhh i got a lot of garbage going on so ! hopefully this week, if not we play it by ear!
> 
> i hope you guys liked this one, please uhhh leave a comment! leave a kudos if you haven't already, you're all amazing ! ♥


	16. Chapter 16

Michael and Geoff crashed into Geoff’s bedroom like an ocean wave slamming against the still-dry sand, strong and pushed by the moon into bed.  
  
Michael was breathing a mantra of “Please, please, please,” and Geoff could only comply, pulling Michael out of his clothes and pressing dry kisses down his throat. Michael was impatient, hands pulling at Geoff’s shirt only to drag him downward, his mouth agape with the phantom of touch.  
  
Geoff let the phantom take the reins for a bit as he got Michael’s boxer-briefs out of the way and rubbed his stubbled jawline at the soft give of Michael’s thighs. Michael curled inward at the sensation, whimpering a bit and Geoff couldn’t help but soak in the desperation of it, the squeeze of Michael’s thighs around his head.  
  
He bites at Michael’s thighs for too long, until Michael is leaking onto his stomach and down onto Geoff’s only set of sheets, until he’s raw and red and way too sensitive.  
  
“Geoff-,”  
  
Geoff pulls away from his indulgence and looks up at Michael, a mess of wet lashes and hands pulling at his own curls. He blinks slowly when they meet eyes and ghosts upward, letting out a hot breath over Michael’s length. Michael inhales sharply, tugging at his hair again and biting his bottom lip pinker and pinker.  
  
“This what you want?”  
  
Michael nodded feverishly, his cheeks starting to blush.  
  
“Use your words babe,” Geoff admonished, patting Michael’s upper thigh.  
  
Michael’s chest rose erratically at the endearment, “Yes- c’mon please, yes yes,”  
  
“So polite,” Geoff drawled, and within the looseness of Geoff’s tongue Michael could almost pull the name of Geoff’s hometown, on the tip of his tongue, until Geoff obliterates all deductive memory with, “Say it.”  
  
Michael shook his head in near-embarrassment, and Geoff’s face allowed a toothy smile as his hands rubbed up and down Michael’s thighs, his pink mouth hovering centimeters above Michael’s cock. “I know you want to,” his voice lilted, his fingers making tickling trails up Michael’s thighs and wrenching a disbelieving smile from Michael accompanied by the rusted bell of his laugh.  
  
“Fuck you,” he breathed.  
  
“Be nice, tell me what you want.”  
  
Michael licked at his front teeth indignantly, like he was considering choking Geoff with his thighs from this position, how easy it would be. Still, he knows that this is riling him up, that Geoff knew it was and that’s why he was doing it, to watch Michael’s chest rise and fall quicker and quicker, his blush spreading like jam on white bread down the planes of his chest.  
  
“Please,” Michael choked out when Geoff licked once at the head of his cock, _“pleasesuckmeoffdaddy,”_ he manages, and Geoff must’ve been eager because it was suddenly more than enough for him.  
  
Geoff closed his mouth over Michael’s cock, and Michael barely had the wherewithal to shove a fist into his mouth to muffle his moaning, partially aware of neighbors and knowing glances and phone calls.  
  
Geoff sucked Michael down with a hunger that he had not known existed within him, closing his eyes and truly relishing in the taste of Michael, the smell of him as he moved up and down Michael’s cock. He didn’t know what it was, he had done this before Michael and had nothing near a resemblance of enjoying it, mostly viewing it as a favor in which he would be repaid. Now, he moaned around Michael’s length, tongue stroking the underside of Michael’s cock with the fervor he reserved for popsicles in the deep heat of mid-July.  
  
The orange flavored ones, with the ice cream centers.  
  
Meanwhile Michael had found the courage or lost the self-involved shame around his word usage above him, whimpering out “Fuck- _daddy,”_ in a blender of combinations that each came off of his tongue like a prayer- whispered harshly. Like a secret. Like a confession.  
  
Geoff became all-too-suddenly aware of this and swallowed Michael whole, throat protesting around Michael’s cock once, twice, before he finally forced himself to relax so he could do this, give this to Michael. His hands had been digging in to Michael’s thighs which he so adored, and he pulled away from them now, hoping he’d find the crescent bites of his fingernails embedded in Michael’s cornsilk skin at a later date, moving to settle heavily on Michael’s ever-twitching hips.  
  
Michael wanted so badly to thrust into the wet heat of Geoff’s mouth, sweating as his stomach burned with arousal at watching Geoff bob his mouth over Michael’s cock, and Michael felt so unbelievably taken care of, focused on. Geoff’s mouth stretched so gorgeously around Michael’s cock, and Michael reached down to thumb at the stretch of it, feeling a tremor wash over his body again and again as Geoff swallowed and moaned around him, creating a slobbery mess of Michael’s cock that was absolute fucking heaven. Michael wanted to fucking cry.  
  
_“Yeah daddy,_ god just like that- _oh-,”_ Michael whimpered out, and his voice didn’t even feel like his own, didn’t feel like it was coming from him but he couldn’t help it, it sent a rush through him whenever it escaped him, like a pre-orgasm rattling him to his bones. Even better was Geoff’s low hum whenever Michael let it pass his lips, the rumble vibrating against his cock like a dream. _He fucking likes it,_ Michael thought, and the thought was decadent and rich and way too much for him to handle.  
  
Michael’s breath kept escaping his lungs too soon, and he was starting to wonder if time existed outside of himself and Geoff at all, because his lungs had run a marathon twice, and his cock didn’t know seconds from hours anymore. He found himself clawing down his own chest before tangling his hands in Geoff’s hair and playing with it, curling it around his fingers and hoping the spaces between his thumb and forefingers would later smell of Geoff’s shampoo. When he turned his head sideways and breathed in the scent of just _Geoff_ on the pillow, he was suddenly careening toward the edge, hips fighting Geoff’s hands as he let out stuttered moans.  
  
_“Daddy,”_ he choked out, hands scrambling for purchase on something, anything, “G- Geoff, kiss me, kiss me,” Michael breathed.  
  
Geoff pulled off of his cock with an obscene sound and started jacking Michael off with his left hand, something that Michael noted and tucked away along with the questioning smirk that Geoff was shooting him with his hair wild and eyes to match. “Hm?”  
  
“Kiss me you dumb motherfucker I won’t say it ag- _mmph!”_ Geoff interrupted him by crashing their mouths together, Geoff’s a stupid grin and Michael’s a scowl that melted into a sob.  
  
“Oh, _fuck!”_ Michael yelled between their mouths as Geoff’s fist brought him to completion, his entire body tensing at once in an incredible display of debauchery, and Michael held close to Geoff for dear life. He refused to let his vision white out as he watched himself spill over Geoff’s inked fist, dripping down the back of his hand and sticky-messy down his fingers and in between them. Geoff stroked him through the aftershocks and Michael felt like he might actually die in Geoff’s arms, like he had no other choice but to succumb to the weakness that Geoff had brought him to and let him consume him.  
  
Despite Michael’s intent to will himself from whiting out, he came-to to Geoff kneeling over his waist and jacking himself off with reckless abandon, still fully clothed, head leaning back to expose the delicious curve of his neck and letting out a constant moan that Michael wanted to record and have put on a mixtape for himself. Michael sat up slightly, making Geoff look down at him without stopping. Michael knew what he was doing, and Geoff found himself looking down on a doe-eyed, come-splattered, kiss-bitten, lip-swollen vision of an angel.  
  
“Come for me daddy,” Michael said, voice raspy and eyes earnest, and Geoff came with a shout, messy and with no aim, causing come to catch on Michael’s lips and lashes, dripping down his chin sinfully.  
  
“Oh- oh fuck,” Geoff half-chuckled, fingers coming up to drag through the streaks of come on Michael’s face. “That- it wasn’t on purpose, but I’m not sorry,” Geoff said, and brought a thumb to his mouth to suck his own come off of it.  
  
Michael licked his lips almost as an afterthought, and collapsed back on the bed at Geoff’s action, “What are you _doin’_ to me Geoff?”  
  
“Uh, giving you orgasms and kisses?” Geoff said, grabbing for a shirt that hopefully wasn’t his and wiping down Michael’s stomach, and then gently at his face with a corner of the fabric.  
  
“Kisses outnumber orgasms thus far.” Michael responded after a moment, as if he had paused to count.  
  
“I’m workin on it! Some of us aren’t so young and virile,” Geoff laughed, finding a clean pair of boxer briefs for Michael and fitting them over his waist.  
  
“Ugh, are you “virile” enough to get up and close the window?” Michael said with a shiver, and Geoff only chuckled and crossed the room to shut the window.  
  
“I don’t think you know what virile means,” Geoff chuckled out, looking out the window at the silhouette of the city.  
  
“Your big words don’t intimidate me, Geoffrey, I will misuse them and it’ll annoy you more than it annoys me to not know what they mean.” Michael said, and Geoff’s smile was starting to remind his jaw of the ache that it would settle into.  
  
“Strength, energy, sex drive.” Geoff said as he approached the bed.  
  
“Hm?”  
  
“You’re virile. You’re strong, energetic, and your dick is always hard for me,” Geoff said, hand trailing up Michael’s leg through sparse hairs, lingering on his ruined thighs until Michael smacked his hand away.  
  
“Teach me something useful, Geoff.”  
  
Geoff pretended to consider it as Michael’s stomach growled audibly, “How about I carry you to the kitchen and teach you how to steal just enough of my rich roommate’s snacks that he doesn’t notice anything’s missing?”  
  
“You can just say Ryan now,” Michael laughed out.  
  
“But then how will I uphold my air of sexy mystery?” Geoff said with a pout.  
  
“You don’t get to be a mystery anymore, now you get to be sexy by slowly revealing every detail of your life to me,” Michael whispered sitting up and grabbing Geoff’s hand to play with his fingers and trace the lines of his tattoos.  
  
“Oh really?”  
  
“Yeah that’s how it works, boyfriend.” Michael said, eyes shining.  
  
“Boyfriend.” Geoff repeated pleasantly.  
  
“Yes, boyfriend,” Michael scooted to the edge of the bed and attempted to get to his feet for a second before finding the bones in his legs had magically become jell-o at some point, “Now carry me, because I _actually_ can’t walk.”  
  
“My plan all along! Now you’re trapped!” Geoff joked in an impression of a vampire, and lifted Michael into his arms to carry him to the kitchen.  
  
“God, you’re an idiot,” Michael laughed against Geoff’s cheek, and kissed him sweetly.  
  
**  
  
Geoff and Michael were in the kitchen sharing one of Ryan’s pudding cups and being disgustingly adorable about it, feeding each other with their spoons and trading chocolate-dipped kisses. Geoff had sat Michael up on the counter and they indulged too-easily into their soft kisses, not even trying to spark something more, just enjoying one another with a humming comfort that felt to them like a loop that extended around their necks and no one else’s.  
  
This dreamy ambiance is what Ryan and Jeremy walked into, albeit hesitantly, and they exchanged relieved glances at seeing that Michael and Geoff were at least clothed for the most part.  
  
“Is that my fucking pudding?” Ryan said, and Geoff and Michael just giggled quietly for a second before acknowledging the question.  
  
“Don’t be selfish Ryan, I would share _my_ pudding cups with _you,”_ Geoff said, turning around to face the two while still in between the V of Michael’s legs from where he sat. Michael looped his arms around Geoff’s chest and rested his chin on his shoulder, pouting at Ryan.  
  
“Geoff, you don’t even buy groceries,” Ryan said, but he was smiling so of course he was arguing just to argue, and Geoff laughed.  
  
“Well, if I did I’d fucking share, asshole,” Geoff said.  
  
“Can I have a pudding cup?” Jeremy asked quietly, and Ryan sighed in resignation.  
  
“Yes. Get me one too.” Ryan said, moving to sit on the couch, “Are you guys ready to rejoin society yet?”  
  
“How dare you bring up society in my own home,” Geoff said, and Michael snickered.  
  
“Sorry mister anarchist extraordinaire, I just figured you’d eventually come out of your love cocoon,” Ryan said, trailing off as the three came to join him in the living room, Geoff gently carrying Michael to the couch and pulling his legs into his lap.  
  
“Ryan, hater of romance guy,” Michael said, pulling the spoon out of his mouth with a flourish.  
  
“Ryan is romantic,” Jeremy said defiantly, and Ryan rolled his eyes and kissed his forehead.  
  
“That’s cute, they think they’re more romantic than us,” Michael said to Geoff, and they laughed. Jeremy raised his eyebrows and took a breath like he was about to say something, but before he could Ryan got up to turn on the TV.  
  
“Let’s talk about something else- who wants first go on Crash Bandicoot?” Ryan waggled the gray controller in his hand and gave a hopeful grin.  
  
“You have a fucking PlayStation? Dude yes, gimme that thing,” Michael said, getting up just enough to snatch it out of Ryan’s hands and sit back down, immediately starting up the game and spacing out.  
  
Geoff poked Michael jokingly in the side and frowned, “Aaaand there goes my love life. Thank you, Ryan.”  
  
“My pleasure.” Ryan laughed out.  
  
They all watched Michael get through the game almost easily, talking about school and bills and forgetting to call their parents. Geoff wondered if it was very late yet, if they’d be up all night just like this, just shooting the shit and Geoff leaning lazily on Michael’s side just feel like he was getting the attention he wanted. Every once in a while, he’d say a joke that Michael would laugh a little harder at, and Geoff could roll up a sleeping bag and live in the warmth of Michael’s laugh, its rough edges and all.  
  
Ryan kept looking at him with this knowing look, similar to the one Gavin had aimed their way at the restaurant, but decidedly different. Geoff pretended not to notice it, pretended not to know what Ryan was getting at with just a lean of his brows and morse code of eyelids. For once, Geoff wished he didn’t know people who knew him so god damn well.  
  
“We should all go out sometime.” Jeremy spoke up after Michael had completed his umpteenth level, and they all looked at each other with shrugs and oh-I-don’t-knows.  
  
“What, like a double date?” Michael asked, and Geoff was probably the only one who noticed the shells of his ears turning pink.  
  
“Yeah, why not?” Jeremy shrugged.  
  
“Better yet- why?” Geoff said, and Michael chuckled.  
  
“It could be fun, c’mon we could do like dinner and a movie,” Ryan added, squeezing Jeremy’s shoulder a bit in a supportive gesture.  
  
“Sounds… uh- expensive,” Geoff said, and the tension in Michael’s thighs told him he was speaking for them both.  
  
“Pick up an extra shift at the call center Geoff, take your guy out come on,” Ryan said, and he was trying to be cool about it, but Geoff didn’t really fucking appreciate it.  
  
“Uh-,” Geoff forced a chuckle and licked his lip, “how about after me and Michael go on our first real date as a couple, then we can think about it?”  
  
“Buzzkill,” Jeremy joked, and Geoff swallowed.  
  
“All our dates were real dates,” Michael said quietly, and Geoff made sure Ryan and Jeremy had moved on to something else before he gave his quiet response.  
  
“I know,” Geoff replied, voice a soothing high, “but we should do one- the- not like a _“real”_ date, but a classic one?”  
  
“You’re too sweet,” Michael mumbled, and as he spoke Crash missed a jump and fell into a gap.  
  
“I know-,” Geoff started, half-joking, but Michael had abandoned the controller to twist around and kiss Geoff softly, arms looping around his neck.  
  
When they pulled apart it was to the sound of keys jangling, and they looked up to find Ryan and Jeremy standing, clearly on the verge of leaving.  
  
“Hey Michael, I’m gonna give Jeremy a ride home do you wanna go with?” Ryan asked, and Michael opened his mouth wordlessly for a moment.  
  
“He’s staying here tonight,” Geoff said for him, and Michael squeezed his hand.  
  
“Okay, I’ll be back,” Ryan said, and with a small wave from Jeremy, they left.  
  
Geoff pulled Michael away from the video game and to the bedroom, dragging him half because he wanted to keep playing and half because he was too tired to walk. Geoff hadn’t seen the time for a while and it wasn’t until he glanced at his alarm clock when opening his window that he realized the hour.  
  
“Fuck, it’s almost 5AM,” Geoff said, his voice hoarse and tired.  
  
“Why are you opening the window, it’s cold outside,” Michael moaned from the bed, and Geoff joined him, hugging Michael to his chest.  
  
“I’ll keep you warm. I like the city sounds.” Geoff said into Michael’s neck.  
  
“You better keep me warm, or you’ll be dating an icicle,” Michael said, nuzzling further into Geoff’s embrace.  
  
“A very cute icicle,” Geoff said.  
  
“That’s true.” Michael replied, and then he leaned over and handed Geoff the book he had been reading earlier. Geoff’s heart threatened to stop just then, but as he took the book from Michael’s hand and kissed him on the cheek, he was able to convince his heart that there was reason to go on.  
  
They lay in bed awake together for a while, just their breathing and the still-open window bringing the different sounds of air to surround them in an auditory whirlwind. Michael thought about how he hadn’t yet noticed that the sun had dipped below the city skyline, bruising the sky into darkness, and that it seemed this day had come to an end- or did it end only when he closed his eyes? He clutched closer to Geoff at the thought, and Geoff soothed him without hesitation. Geoff tried to focus on the words on the pages, but thoughts were lingering somewhere between them and the coastline for how the whoosh of air through the maze of tree branches outside sounded like the ocean.  
  
He whispered the thought into the seam of Michael’s hairline, and Michael hummed against his chest.  
  
“I’ve never been to the beach.” Michael said.  
  
“Really?”  
  
“Yeah. Just one of those things,” he shrugged and started to give into the droop of his eyelids.  
  
“Well, I’ll just have to fix that,” Geoff said.  
  
“Do you think I need fixing?” Michael said quietly after a moment.  
  
“Bad phrasing. I want to spill into your gaps the things you’ve had to skirt around in your life.” Geoff said, dropping his book down to the floor and kissing Michael’s forehead.  
  
“You sound like a book sometimes,” Michael yawned.  
  
“Mm. Boring?”  
  
“Not yet.” Michael teased sleepily.  
  
“Well I better start keeping books away from you, so that you never tire of me.” Geoff breathed out, hugging Michael even closer to his chest.  
  
“I’m not that interested in books.” Michael mumbled, “I’m interested in you.”  
  
“Then I guess I have nothing to worry about.” Geoff said, but when he looked down meet Michael’s eyes, he found him completely asleep.  
  
Geoff turned off the lamp on his bedside table and took a deep breath that swirled his and Michael’s scents together- detergent, shampoo, deodorant, sweat- and closed his eyes. He silently thanked whatever creator chucked him into this existence for tossing Michael in right after him. Michael made a small noise in his throat in his sleep, and Geoff felt it was some kind of subconscious agreement. He fell asleep exhausted, weary, and smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY i appreciate everyone'S PATIENCE  
> i also hope you liked this chapter!!!!!!1111 if you did pls leave me a comment and tell me about it bc i love that shit, or leave a kudos or don't! it's ya life!
> 
> the next chapter i plan to have next week, but if you've made it this far, you may have found that my scheduling is unreliable! love ya! ♥


	17. Chapter 17

Geoff was starting to get the feeling that Ryan was going to say something. They were standing in the kitchen, the first time that Geoff had woken up before his alarm in a long while. Michael was still asleep, and when Geoff had dragged himself out of bed Ryan was already in the kitchen, sleepily raising an eyebrow and adding an extra few cups of water to the coffee machine.  
  
“I’m gonna say something,” Ryan said, as he handed Geoff the cup of coffee he had so kindly brewed for them. Geoff mentally added the moment to the list of times that proved he was vaguely psychic.  
  
“Uh, I’m thinking, maybe don’t?” Geoff responded, wishing that Ryan would at least wait until he had his first sip.  
  
Geoff had an idea of what Ryan was going to say, if the knowing glances he shot Geoff every time he and Michael set foot outside of his bedroom were anything to go by. He was not ready for a lecture, nor was he ready to even pretend that he had any idea what he was getting himself into. Again.  
  
“Geoff-,”  
  
“Stop- nope, c’mon Ryan this is supposed to be a Jack-thing not a you-thing.” Geoff said, resting his mug on the counter and putting on his best annoyed frown.  
  
“Well, what do I do then?” Ryan countered.  
  
“You’re supposed to encourage me to do stupid impulsive shit!” Geoff said, glancing at his bedroom door when he raised his voice a bit.  
  
“Oh, so- okay,” Ryan said, and then cleared his throat as Geoff took a sip of coffee, “Geoff, you should totally let yourself fall head over heels for Michael as soon as possible!”  
  
Geoff grimaced and let his head fall as Ryan continued, “Oh wait. You’re already doing that.”  
  
“Fuck you.” Geoff said.  
  
They were quiet for a moment while Geoff tried to down the scalding coffee as quickly as possible, just so the gears in his head could get going a little bit faster. Still, Geoff knew Ryan very well, and he knew that Ryan was not yet ready to drop the subject.  
  
“Does he know?” Ryan asked, and Geoff sighed, setting down the coffee mug and putting his hands on his hips.  
  
“Does he know _what?_ That uh- I care about him, and he cares for me? He fuckin’ knows.” Geoff said.  
  
“Geoff, you’re in love with him!” Ryan yelled out and Geoff clapped a hand over his mouth and shoved Ryan in the direction of his room so they would be further from Geoff’s.  
  
“Shut up!” he whisper-yelled as he closed the door to Ryan’s room behind them.  
  
“So, I’m right!” Ryan said, eyebrows waggling annoyingly.  
  
Geoff sighed in frustration and ran his hands through his hair, “I- I don’t fucking know, okay?”  
  
“You know. You love him.” Ryan teased, poking Geoff in the ribs.  
  
Geoff scrunched up his face and then threw his arms up in resignation, “So what? So what if I love him? I’m in love Michael Jones! There, you fucking happy?”  
  
“A little.” Ryan shrugged with stupid grin, “Geoff… this _is_ different isn’t it?”  
  
“What?” Geoff said, and Ryan’s face sent a flame of memory alight in his mind, embers that had previously stamped out, “Oh- god, yes. Yes it’s different, how could- that’s _low.”_  
  
“Just wanted to be sure,” Ryan said kindly, “You haven’t been with anybody seriously since before college.”  
  
“I know that.” Geoff said quietly. And he so deeply wished that Ryan hadn’t brought it up. His heart ached horribly at the thought of some kind of repeat of history that he knew more than well enough. That the bottoms of glass bottles couldn’t erase for him. That ink had stained him forever with. That had nothing to fucking do with how he felt about Michael.  
  
How Michael made him feel.  
  
“And it was kind of for a reason. Even though you pretend it wasn’t,” Ryan continued.  
  
“I _know_ that.” Geoff whispered.  
  
“And… you love Michael.” Ryan said, and he couldn’t help his giddy tone. Geoff was happy when he was in love, and in spite of any lingering memories, it was nice to see Geoff in love again.  
  
“God, it must be so _obvious.”_ Geoff moaned, and sat on Ryan’s bed and put his head in his hands.  
  
“No, no,” Ryan said, and Geoff looked up at him in hope for a second, “Well, yeah. Yeah a little.”  
  
“Oh my god.” Geoff whined.  
  
Ryan scratched the back of his neck idly, “I mean, I don’t know how observant Michael is-,”  
  
“Oh my _god,”_  
  
“Don’t panic! He’s stuck around hasn’t he?” Ryan said.  
  
“Yeah.” Geoff said, and his heart fluttered stupidly as he remembered Michael’s sleeping form, still in his bed, “Does uh- does Jeremy know?”  
  
“… Maybe,” Ryan said.  
  
“Christ.”  
  
“It wasn’t me though! He just. Picked up on it.” Ryan said, smiling unconvincingly.  
  
“He’s gonna tell Michael.” Geoff said, sitting up suddenly.  
  
“He probably won’t! I can ask him not to, if you prefer,” Ryan said, gesturing over his shoulder to the phone in the kitchen.  
  
“Yes! Yes, I prefer!” Geoff said, standing up and grabbing Ryan’s arm firmly.  
  
“Okay, I’ll call him,” Ryan said, reaching for the doorknob.  
  
“Don’t call him!” Geoff said, getting hastily between Ryan and the door, “What if Michael hears you?”  
  
“Uh- so do you want me to tell him or not?” Ryan asked.  
  
“Tell him, yeah. Just uh- don’t call him. Tell him when you see him in person.” Geoff said, nodding mostly to himself.  
  
“That. That seems kind of stupid when I could just call him.” Ryan responded.  
  
“It’s safer!” Geoff said, frowning deeply.  
  
“Geoff-,”  
  
“Just- just wait until you see him in person, okay?” Geoff said, placing his hands heftily onto Ryan’s shoulders.  
  
“Where are you going?” Ryan asked when Geoff turned to leave the bedroom.  
  
“It’s almost for Michael to go to class. Also, I have work or whatever,” Geoff said simply.  
  
“Wait but-,”  
  
“Later loser!”  
  
Ryan rolled his eyes and resolved to call Jeremy when they left.  
  
**  
  
Michael came up behind Geoff on a day that could’ve been a Tuesday or a Friday, all the days slowly blending together every time he spent a night in Geoff’s bed. He had just finished some homework on said bed, which Geoff refused to join him in even though they were both just working on stuff. Michael rested his chin on Geoff’s shoulder and watched him type away at the electric typewriter, a luxury that Michael did not have. He usually did important papers at the library.  
  
“What are you writing?” Michael said quietly, squinting at the typed-up words but not actually making an effort to read them.  
  
“Would you break up with me if I said it was a poem?” Geoff said.  
  
Michael hummed a laugh against Geoff’s warm skin, “You write poetry?”  
  
“No. Not usually.” Geoff said, hand coming up to cradle Michael’s chin idly.  
  
“What do you usually write?” Michael asked.  
  
“Throwaway pages of what might eventually be a book. But probably not.”  
  
“But instead you’re writing… a poem.” Michael restated, and Geoff nodded silently for a moment before turning to face him.  
  
“It’s about you.” Geoff said almost bashfully.  
  
“Me?”  
  
“Yeah, you.” Geoff smiled.  
  
Michael blushed, and Geoff kissed the pink of his cheek, “I mean I don’t- I don’t know jack about poems but I don’t think I’m… _that_ interesting.”  
  
“That’s where you’re wrong.” Geoff said into the line of Michael’s jaw, quiet.  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“Yeah,” Geoff said, and wheeled his chair around a bit until he could finagle Michael into his lap, “Because I tried to write for hours, but I kept getting distracted.”  
  
“By me?” Michael looped an arm around Geoff’s neck from their new position, and Geoff took the moment to rest his forehead against Michael’s.  
  
“By you. And your eyelashes. And your mouth. And how you don’t just have freckles on your face, but all over your body.” Geoff traced a line down Michael’s free forearm, lifting it so he could kiss his pulse-point.  
  
“You can’t tell from far away, but I see them because I spend so much time looking at your skin. It’s like you’re one of those dot paintings. Stippling. The closer I get the more I see. And the less I see. And the more.”  
  
“Geoffrey-,”  
  
Geoff kissed him before he could say anything, was scared of what he might say. Michael kissed back easily, the brush of their mouths heady and weighed with something that didn’t have a word. It went from soft and tender to heated and hungry quickly, Michael licking into Geoff’s mouth and clawing his hands through Geoff’s hair.  
  
Geoff kissed him feverishly, mind wandering between freckled skin and deep brown eyes as he bit down on Michael’s bottom lip just to pull a whimper out of him. He hoped they would always be like this, just like this.  
  
Michael broke their kiss so he could straddle Geoff properly, pulling his shirt over his head and giving pause, already knowing that Geoff had a thing for the soft, giving planes of Michael’s chest. Geoff inhaled sharply, gratefully, and pulled Michael closer to kiss and kiss at his freckled chest, biting crescent moons into his skin and laving them over as Michael struggled to remember if Ryan was home, wanting to be _loud_ and _surrendering_ to Geoff’s ministrations.  
  
Geoff pulled back to admire the pinkened and reddened splotches that blended into the blush that had spread to Michael’s chest and leaned up to kiss at Michael’s neck, breaking briefly, “I- I fucking love your skin.”  
  
“Write about it later,” Michael said breathlessly, pulling at the fasten of Geoff’s pants, “Fuck me now.”  
  
“I- I can do that. Fuck yeah I can do that.” Geoff said, hissing as Michael pulled him out of the confines of his jeans and started to jack him to full hardness.  
  
Michael leaned down to capture Geoff’s mouth in a searing kiss, thumbing over the head of Geoff’s cock as he did. Geoff inhaled deeply and exhaled a moan, hands grasping at Michael’s hips and hauling him closer with a roughness that Michael wanted to memorize.  
  
Geoff pulled away from the kiss as his hands traveled the waistband of Michael’s pants, looked down between them so he could undo them properly. Michael ached at every brush of Geoff’s fingers, intentional or unintentional, over his cock even through the layers of fabric.  
  
“C’mon, _c’mon,”_ Michael whined as Geoff finally got him free of the offending material.  
  
Then Michael was twisting in Geoff’s lap until he could rid himself of his pants and underwear completely, eyes dark as he dropped hard on his knees and yanked at Geoff’s jeans until they pooled around his ankles enough to be kicked out of the way as well. Geoff jerked himself in earnest as Michael’s hands ghosted up the length of his thighs, mouth already wet like it was watering for Geoff.  
  
“Fucking christ, the way you look-,” Geoff cut himself off with a moan as Michael’s hand replaced his own on his dick, slower movements a contrast to Geoff’s own roughness with himself, never quite able to treat himself with kindness, even in an act of self-love.  
  
Geoff pulled his shirt over his head and off if only to match Michael in lack of clothing, and Michael responded in appreciation, leaning in to lick a long stripe up the underside of Geoff’s cock.  
  
“Fuck-,” Geoff chewed at his bottom lip, fingers curling into his palms as Michael ducked down to suckle at the head, licking at the precome that was leaking from the tip.  
  
Michael’s tongue swirled indiscernible patterns around the head, teasing at the slit and moaning as his free hand teased at his own cock.  
  
Michael pulled off of Geoff’s cock, and Geoff shuddered at the string of saliva that connected his cock to Michael’s mouth, even as he spoke, “I’m gonna suck you off a bit,”  
  
“Yeah?” Geoff asked, just because he loved egging him on.  
  
“Yeah, then you’re gonna fuck me.” Michael said, and then licked at Geoff’s length again, mouthing down the side and getting Geoff’s cock messy and wet.  
  
Geoff’s throat clicked as he swallowed audibly, “Am I now?”  
  
“If you know what’s good for ya,” Michael said, looking up at Geoff with blown irises and flushed cheeks, blending his freckles into the color of it.  
  
Geoff didn’t get a chance to get out some snarky reply, was only able to gasp out, _“Fuck,”_ when Michael decided to punctuate his sentence by getting his mouth most of the way down Geoff’s cock.  
  
The obscenity of the sounds that filled the room as Michael sucked him messy and dirty and without any sense of reserve could nearly match the level obscenity Michael could reach when his mouth wasn’t otherwise occupied. Michael’s hand was jerking the length he couldn’t reach in time with the movement of his mouth, and Geoff’s hands went right for those copper curls for want of something to fucking hold on to.  
  
Geoff’s hands tightened in Michael’s hair when he started gagging on his cock a little bit, and Geoff was almost ready to pull Michael off, but it seemed Michael was doing it almost on purpose. Michael choked himself on Geoff’s cock again, and Geoff’s eyes glazed over as he saw the flutter in Michael’s wet lashes, the mismatch with how his free hand quickened on his own cock and then slowed when he regained his composure.  
  
Geoff carded a hand through Michael’s hair gently, folding wild curls behind his ear with a thrumming kindness that ached deep in the chambers of his heart.  
  
“You like- _mm-_ you like that?” Geoff groaned, and Michael hummed around his length, making Geoff’s next words breathless, “You like choking on daddy’s cock?”  
  
Michael choked involuntarily at that, Geoff could tell the difference now, and his hands gripped Geoff’s thighs as he pulled off of Geoff’s cock with a _pop!_  
  
Michael’s face was tear-streaked, and Geoff could almost feel concerned if he didn’t know that it was from an overwhelming pleasure, from the heaviness of it all. Geoff helped him clamber back into his lap, and kissed him breathless, hands hot on Michael’s waist as Michael’s hands held harshly to Geoff’s head, messing his hair expertly.  
  
Michael pulled away as Geoff continued his path of kisses down the sharp edge of his jaw, down further still to the canvas of his neck, Geoff’s mouth a paintbrush. Michael was breathing heavily, eyes closed as he tried to get out words, clawing down Geoff’s back when he found them.  
  
“Is- am- is that bad? Am I bad?” Michael breathed into the air, gazing upwards like he was watching the words float into the air and away.  
  
“You’re perfect,” Geoff said into the curve of his neck, and then pulled away to kiss Michael once, sweet.  
  
Things blurred as they scrambled for a condom and the lube, Geoff prepping Michael less than he’d like to, but unable to refuse Michael’s request of , _“Please,”_ and _“I need you inside me,”_ and _“Now.”_  
  
Geoff’s fingers slipped out of Michael’s hole and he wiped them off on his thigh, distracted by the way that Michael was thrashing in his lap, grinding against him frantically with the youth that Geoff had often forgotten they still carried like brands on their chests.  
  
Geoff brushed Michael’s hair out of his face and cradled his face carefully so he could calm him, kiss him, thumb brushing his cheekbone over and over like a habit.  
  
“Please,” Michael breathed against his mouth when they eventually broke apart, _“please daddy,”_ he said ever-so-quietly.  
  
Geoff rolled the condom over his length and kissed Michael distractedly as he entered him, felt their intimacy in the press of their chests against one another, Michael’s fingers tracing the lines of his tattoos in such fervent interest that it felt almost like too much, almost like when the homemade tattoo gun pushed into him for the first time.  
  
_“Fuck,_ baby, fuck you’re so tight,” Geoff gasped out, and Michael was just nodding, eyes shut tightly.  
  
Geoff felt a swoop in his stomach when he bottomed out, still trying to adjust when Michael tested the stretch, moving already. Geoff stilled his hips momentarily, begged silently for Michael to allow himself more than a second to breathe.  
  
“I’m ready, I’m ready c’mon,” Michael moaned, voice rough and hoarse. Geoff mentally catalogued the difference in his voice when he was moaning _daddy_ versus the harsh tone when his mind was somewhere else.  
  
“Okay,” Geoff said, not taking his hands from Michael’s hips but loosening his grip and allowing Michael to do as he pleased.  
  
_“Mm- ah,”_ Michael started when he lifted his hips slowly and then dropped down all at once.  
  
_“Fuuu-_ uck,” Geoff groaned, and that was it before Michael was bouncing himself on Geoff’s length, Geoff’s hands helping to keep him from tiring out.  
  
Michael was moaning sinfully and breathlessly against Geoff’s ear, and it was all Geoff could do not to drop them to the floor and fuck into Michael _hard_ and _relentless_ like he so wanted to. _Not now._  
  
“Oh god, I’m so close-,” Michael whined, his hip movements erratic but steadied by Geoff’s hold on his hips. Geoff loosed one hand to get it around Michael’s length, and Michael moaned desperately, his hips confused as to thrust into the circle of Geoff’s hand or down to where Geoff was hitting deep inside him.  
  
“You can come, c’mon Michael, come,” Geoff said quietly, nearly sternly, and Michael gasped.  
  
_“D-daddy,”_ he choked out, and then came, thick ropes of come spilling onto Geoff’s abdomen and dripping over his fist.  
  
“Oh- _oh,”_ Michael got out after he slumped over and Geoff started to lift them a bit so he could continue to fuck into Michael, chasing his orgasm.  
  
“Almost, almost- _ah!”_ Geoff gasped out, and came buried deep in Michael’s ass, hands clutching at his hips and then his shoulders and then his jaw, thumb pulling at Michael’s plush lower lip, bitten raw and gorgeous.  
  
Michael had whimpered gorgeously when Geoff came, clawed down Geoff’s chest leaving red lines that throbbed angrily now, even as Michael pulled Geoff into another passionate kiss, licking into his mouth and biting at Geoff’s lips, all like a ritual in claiming Geoff’s every part, _mine, mine, you’re all fucking mine._  
  
They cleaned up and Geoff carried Michael to the bed after, Michael splayed over Geoff’s chest like an oil painting that Geoff wanted to hang in his bedroom, so he could gaze at his gorgeous pink mouth and shiny curls for ages. Like he was doing now.  
  
“Tell me something about you.” Michael said quietly.  
  
Geoff thought for a moment, hand pausing in its light combing through Michael’s hair, “I ran away from home when I was sixteen.”  
  
Michael said nothing for a bit, but Geoff could feel him listening, feel him thinking.  
  
“Where did you go?”  
  
“A lot of places. I was in Jersey for a while,” Geoff said, and Michael smiled, “Then I… ended up in Texas.”  
  
“Why did you come here?”  
  
“I don’t know. I think I kind of missed Alabama, but I didn’t want to go back,” Geoff said, remembering how hard he had cried in the shitty bathrooms of Greyhound buses, praying to god that he didn’t give into the scars in his heart that longed to rip him back to a place he used to call home. “I started going south, and then… I don’t know. I just kept going, and then. Austin.”  
  
“I’m glad you kept going.” Michael said, voice small.  
  
“You and me both.”  
  
Michael leaned up and kissed Geoff, and then rested his head back where he was, “There’s still so much I want to know about you.”  
  
Geoff sighed and nodded, “We have time.”  
  
**  
  
_\- I know I’m already in deep water because I told you about it in the first place._  
  
_\- Was it a secret?_  
  
_\- Sort of._  
  
_\- For **fuck’s** sake, Ryan. Why did you tell me then? _  
  
_\- I was just **talking** , we were just **talking,** I- shit. _  
  
_\- You shouldn’t have told me._  
  
_\- I shouldn’t have told you._  
  
_\- Ryan, I’m **so fucking bad** at keeping secrets. _  
  
_\- I know. I need you to keep this one. Please._  
  
_\- … Michael is one of my best fucking friends._  
  
_\- Geoff will tell him in his own time, you just have to trust him._  
  
_\- I- I don’t know if I know him well enough to trust him yet._  
  
_\- Then trust me._  
  
_\- … I’ll try._  
  
_\- Thank you. Oh- one more thing._  
  
_\- What- fuck, what?_  
  
_\- Don’t- don’t tell Michael that Geoff is in love with him._  
  
**  
  
Michael didn’t intentionally spend the next week or week and a half- or whatever length was making Jeremy pout at him- at Geoff’s. It was just way too easy to wake up to Geoff’s alarm and drag him out of bed so they could sleepily pass each other the shampoo in the shower, to kiss him just inside the apartment building before they walked separate ways for the day- Michael to school and Geoff to work. Easy to meet Geoff for lunch, opening up paper bags and trading one half of his turkey on white with Geoff’s pb &j.  
  
Why would he bother going back to the dorm at the end of the day when Geoff was always patiently waiting outside of his last class with a hand out ready to carry Michael’s backpack from him?  
  
Still, there was Jeremy pouting when Michael walked through the door of the dorm however many days later. Geoff had sent him away with a kiss and, “Go get some clothes you moochy little bastard.” Geoff didn’t really have enough of a rotation of t-shirts for Michael to be sharing with him in the first place, but they’d managed for a while. A pretty long while, if Jeremy’s pout was any indicator.  
  
“… What?” Michael asked as he dropped his backpack by the door.  
  
“Where’ve you been?” Jeremy said, arms crossed, and Michael rolled his eyes.  
  
_“Disneyland.”_ Michael chuckled, “Where do you think, dumbass?”  
  
“I think I haven’t seen your ugly mug in like two weeks,” Jeremy said, frown melting into a smile.  
  
“Lil J, you wound me!” Michael clutched his chest jokingly.  
  
Jeremy let out a laugh and sat on the couch, and though Michael was hoping he’d be able to get in and out pretty quick, he sat with him, glancing vaguely in the direction of his bedroom.  
  
“How’s domestic paradise?” Jeremy asked.  
  
“It’s good, yeah. Don’t know if I’d call it domestic,” Michael said, shrugging and meeting Jeremy’s squinting gaze.  
  
Jeremy evaluated him for a moment before saying, “You guys practically live together, Michael,” Ray walked in as he was speaking and reached over to ruffle Michael’s hair silently, “I don’t think Ray even remembers what your face looks like anymore!”  
  
“Who’re you again?” Ray said as he joined them on the couch, and Michael laughed and flipped him off.  
  
“So what?” Michael said, “You guys- well, Jeremy- you’re free to go over there or whatever if you miss me so damn bad.”  
  
“What, I can’t go?” Ray frowned, but Jeremy interrupted.  
  
“That’s not- not my point.”  
  
“Okay, then what?” Michael said, smile falling a bit at Jeremy’s tone.  
  
“Don’t you think… this is all going a bit too fast?” Jeremy said, and Michael could already tell that this was Jeremy holding back. Which wasn’t something he exactly want to fucking deal with when he was truly happy with someone for the first time since he came to Austin. Maybe for the first time ever.  
  
“What?” Michael let out bitingly.  
  
“Hear me out-,”  
  
“No I won’t hear you out, jackass,” Michael said, getting to his feet.  
  
“Michael-,”  
  
Michael was already starting to stomp over to his room wordlessly, but stopped in his tracks, “Dude, even if we _were_ moving too fast- and what the fuck does _too fast_ mean anyway- who fucking cares? You think I’m gonna what- get pregnant and marry him?”  
  
“I wasn’t trying to-,”  
  
“No, you were. Don’t try to backpedal now.” Michael said, raising an eyebrow as if in challenge.  
  
“He’s just worried about you, dude,” Ray deadpanned.  
  
“I’m tired of people fucking worrying about me!” Michael laughed out tiredly, “The only person I want worrying about me _even minutely_ is Geoff, and I don’t think either of you are Geoff, are you?”  
  
“Michael-,”  
  
“Nope, don’t see any tattoos or understanding of who I am as a person from either of you, so I’m pretty sure you’re not Geoff.” Michael interrupted, and Jeremy and Ray shrunk a bit at the harshness of it.  
  
“Calm down for a second,” Jeremy said, reaching for Michael and then flinching back.  
  
Michael’s hands balled into fists, “Come again?”  
  
“I just,” Jeremy said, looking to Ray for help who merely pulled his hood up and deigned himself no longer part of the conversation. Jeremy grasped for the right words, “I don’t want you to throw yourself into this and then go and get hurt.”  
  
“I’m a big boy, Jeremy. I can handle myself.” Michael said, and the clench of his right fist stretched the still-healing skin of his knuckles over his bones tightly.  
  
“I know you can! Michael, sit down for a second come on.” Jeremy said, patting the space beside him on the couch that Michael had abandoned.  
  
Michael took a deep breath and tried to steady his blood pressure, “Well?”  
  
“I’m sorry for meddling or- whatever. Ryan’s just told me some things, and- I don’t know,” Jeremy said, and he was just a fountain of word-vomit now, knowing he should just quit while he was ahead.  
  
“What did he tell you?” Michael said, turning his head intently.  
  
“Nothing.” Jeremy said.  
  
“Jeremy.”  
  
“He-,” Jeremy sighed and tried to give something to Michael, anything to just sate him and end the conversation like he should have done previously, “Geoff just has a history of like- like jumping into things he’s not ready for too fast.”  
  
“What does that fucking mean?” Michael said, brow furrowing.  
  
“Will you just- just promise me you’ll be careful?” Jeremy pleaded.  
  
“Jeremy, what the fuck are you talking about?” Michael asked, and Jeremy had never been any good at fucking keeping secrets.  
  
**  
  
“Oh hey Michael, I was just about to uh- pick us up some burgers, you wanna join me?” Geoff said when Michael walked through the front door, pulling on his jacket as he spoke, but Michael was just glancing between him and Ryan quietly. “What’s wrong?”  
  
  


“You were engaged?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a longer one haaaaaa, LISTEN, we'll fuckin, we'll see how this goes!!!!
> 
> chapter 18 will be up next week!!!
> 
> leave kudos if you haven't already, and let me know what you think in the comments!!!!!!! ♥♥♥


	18. Chapter 18

Geoff so couldn’t fucking do this right now. He’d been picking up extra shifts at work, and the extra money was great and all, but the back of his mind was busy with how bad it really was that he was missing so much school. On top of that, customer service wasn’t really rewarding in any sense of the word, and while he was great at staying calm whenever someone started yelling on the line in frustration after being transferred _“fifteen fucking times!”_ before they got to him, it all kind of piled up without an outlet. So, no, Geoff wasn’t even remotely near prepared for a fight, not with Michael, who was indelicate mentally as a contrast to his porcelain features, and not with anything resembling patience.  
  
“Wha-,” Geoff half-laughed in disbelief and glanced at Ryan who was already walking out of the room, “Who told you that?”  
  
“So it’s true?” Michael pressed.  
  
“Well, yeah it’s true. Did you think I would deny it?” Geoff asked, frown deepening.  
  
“I don’t know what I thought. I don’t know what I _think,”_ Michael stepped closer almost subconsciously, seeking comfort, and then took another step back.  
  
Geoff stared up at what _must’ve_ been a godless sky and scratched his head as he tried to keep his temper in check, “I’m kinda fucking bummed that you found out from someone else? I wasn’t trying to _hide_ it from you, Michael. Is that what you thought?”  
  
“Weren’t you?”  
  
“No- Michael, are you fucking serious?” Geoff found himself saying, exasperation getting the better of him.  
  
“What’s that supposed to mean?”  
  
“Wh-,” Geoff’s disbelieving laughter was back, packed well with irritation, he ran his hands through his hair and gestured wildly, “what did you want me to do- bring it up on date number one where we were still pretending to be other people? Or did you want me to bring it up yesterday, barely three weeks into dating as ourselves?” Geoff said, frustration making his tone harsh around the edges.  
  
Michael took a breath to speak, maybe talk Geoff down a bit, but Geoff surged onward, “What d’you think would've been better- over dinner on our first real date that we can’t afford yet? Or just after having sex?”  
  
“Stop, okay? I get it.” Michael said, kicking himself mentally for not trying to be more tactful about the whole thing. He had come in guns blazing, had felt right in the moment of it, but it was clearly an impulsive move for something that was obviously a sensitive subject.  
  
Geoff put his face in his hands briefly, brought his tone back down with a breath, “Who the fuck told you?”  
  
“No one, I’m sorry I brought it up,” Michael said, rubbing at his neck absently and cursing Jeremy’s big fucking mouth. He’d cover him this time, but next time he was throwing him under the bus as fast as he fucking could.  
  
“Who was it?” Geoff asked.  
  
Ryan emerged from his room, shoulders “Geoff, this- this is totally my bad.”  
  
“Ryan?” Geoff said, disappointed like he expected better, like had expected Gavin- but not Ryan.  
  
“I told Jeremy. I shouldn’t have-,” Ryan tried to power through his statement, but Geoff cut him off swiftly.  
  
“No. You fucking shouldn’t have. What the fuck is wrong with you?” Geoff asked, turning toward him fully, clenched fists joining the party.  
  
“Geoff-,” Michael tried, but Geoff’s focus wasn’t on him anymore.  
  
“I’m sorry,” Ryan said, staring at the ground.  
  
“I’m trying to have a relationship here, Ryan.” Geoff said, gesturing between himself and Michael, “What do you think spreading around shit about my life does for that? How do you think that helps me?”  
  
“I wasn’t thinking, I was just- it’s a part of my history too a little, y’know? And we were just talking and-,”  
  
“Oh you were just _talking?_ Cool. Maybe me and Michael can just talk about _you_ and it’ll just find its way to Jeremy, hm?” Geoff said, crossing his arms and raising a brow.  
  
“You don’t mean that.” Ryan said softly.  
  
“No, Ryan. I really don’t. Do you see what I’m getting at?” Geoff said.  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“Cool beans,” Geoff said too cheerfully, “Next time you feel like telling another _rad_ story that’s more about me than you, maybe run it past me. Why don’t we put a few on the table right now?” Geoff plastered a fake grin on his face.  
  
“That’s not necessary-,” Ryan started, but Geoff was way ahead of him.  
  
“Michael!” Geoff said, startling the shit out of Michael when he turned to him again, “Last year, Ryan bailed me out of jail. I got trashed after a punk show and was goaded into bashing the windshield of a cop car with a baseball bat. Shortly thereafter I had my last drink.”  
  
Ryan took a breath, “Geoff-,”  
  
“Oh, here’s a good one! One time I broke into a professor’s house and tagged _QUEERS HATE YOU TOO_ on his living room walls and on his front door because he found out Ryan was gay and forced him to drop the course. Ryan and Jack were my getaway car.”  
  
“Geoff. I am sorry, I should’ve known better than to share the story. It’s personal and it wasn’t mine to tell, and I’m sorry.” Ryan offered, face tentative as he spoke. He glanced at Michael for any sign of forgiveness from Geoff, but he just shrugged.  
  
Geoff took a deep breath and tried to center himself, pinching the bridge of his nose briefly before looking up toward Ryan, “Yeah?” Ryan nodded, eyes a heavier blue of melancholy, “Good. Now you get to pick up the burgers.”  
  
Geoff tossed him the keys and Ryan fumbled them before catching, nodding once, “Done.”  
  
Ryan jogged toward the door, Michael moving out of the way as he closed it behind him. They listened to his footsteps as he descended the staircase and the low thud of the complex’s front door closing before Geoff stopped staring at the floor and turned his tired gaze on Michael. Michael’s hands were pushed deeply into his pockets the way he did when he felt out of sorts, kicking at imaginary dust when his eyes finally met Geoff’s.  
  
Michael sucked in air through his teeth and settled for saying, “So… you really tagged that professor’s house?”  
  
Geoff’s face softened, his shoulders dropped, and he said sweetly, “Michael-,”  
  
“We don’t have to talk about it, Geoff, really.” Michael said, shrugging.  
  
Geoff scoffed, “What kind of relationship is that?”  
  
Michael let out a long breath, “Uh, one that’s based on ignoring problems until they pile up and make us hate each other secretly for a long time, _until_ one of us brings it up in an argument about who finished the cereal and it ends in a breakup?”  
  
“Oh. Well that’s not so bad.” Geoff said, moving to sit on the couch.  
  
Michael joined him and nodded with a stupid grin, “That’s what I was thinking- I mean at worst we last a couple of months? But if we bide our time, we could go for _whoo-_ years, Geoff!”  
  
Geoff nodded like he could picture it, and turned to Michael, “What cereal do you think it would be?”  
  
Michael raised his eyebrows and sat back as he considered the question, “I don’t know. Maybe some fuckin’… Oreo O’s.”  
  
“Oh I’d end you if you ate the last of those.” Geoff said, faux-seriously.  
  
“I _might_ let it slide, but it’s this difference in attitude that would escalate the fight.” Michael said, pointing at Geoff teasingly.  
  
“Yeah, you’d be like ‘what’s the big deal, it’s just cereal, blah blah blah,’” Geoff said, and Michael laughed.  
  
“And you’d be like ‘it’s not just cereal, it’s my cereal, and now I don’t get to have breakfast’ or whatever.” Michael said through his laughter, and Geoff rolled his eyes at the stupidity of the accuracy.  
  
They shook their heads in silent laughter for a second.  
  
“Michael?” Geoff said after a while.  
  
“Hm?” Michael said turning to him innocently.  
  
“I don’t wanna break up over cereal.”  
  
“We can break up over the last of the milk if you want.” Michael said, and Geoff pushed him over on the couch as they broke into laughter again.  
  
“C’mon, let me tell you the story.” Geoff said when they stopped messing around, pulling Michael close to his side. Michael let him and nuzzled into the side of his neck, kissed him there briefly. Geoff had no idea how Michael could turn around his entire mood like that, but he was grateful more than words could say.  
  
“Okay Geoff, tell me the story.” Michael said.  
  
**

June, 1993

“Well?”

“Well, I can’t believe you waited this long to get a tux for _your_ wedding.” Ryan said as Geoff did a little twirl after exiting the cramped, curtained dressing room.

“And _I_ can’t believe you’re renting!” Gavin yelled, and Ryan smacked him over the back of the head lightly.

“You look good, Geoff.” Jack said, ignoring the other two.

He didn’t. He looked goofy and young. But he _was_ goofy and young, couldn't look anything older than eighteen if he tried. His ears stuck out oddly after the too-short haircut from the day before, and the tux looked like he had run all the way home to Alabama to steal his father’s- too big and dingy. He knew this as he looked over his reflection in the mirror but nodded to himself and accepted Jack’s polite lie. This is what was in his budget.

“It’ll do.” Geoff said with a grin, and the guys raised their flasks.

“It’ll do!” they clinked the containers and laughed.

Geoff laughed along and retreated to the dressing room, sweating profusely as he shed the suit and pulled on his street clothes. He stared at the way the suit hung on the hanger and swallowed. It’ll do.

The bachelor party consisted of beers in Jack’s parent’s garage, sitting around a shitty antenna TV to watch the Chicago Bulls play against the Phoenix Suns. Geoff was peeling at the label of his beer with sweaty hands, glancing at the clock and trying to stop himself from counting the hours. He wondered if she was doing the same, he wondered if she was doing it with a different mindset than he was.

The Bulls were winning.

Jack clapped him on the shoulder, startling Geoff into dropping his beer on the cement floor, spilling the sudsy beverage into a puddle that vaguely resembled a bastardized Rorschach test. Geoff stared at it briefly before Jack squeezed his shoulder and he was brought back to the moment.

“What’s on your mind, Geoff?”

“OH!” Ryan yelled at the TV and Gavin yelped along, pretending he knew what was going on. Geoff glanced at them and then back to Jack, and then nodded in the direction of the door that led into the house.

Jack nodded, and they rose from their seats, Jack saying, “We’re gonna get more beer,” when the boys glanced their way.

They reached the kitchen and Geoff was leaning on the kitchen counter heavily with his forearms, picking himself up off the ground slightly and then letting himself down again. He did this for a bit as Jack waited for him to say whatever it was, sipping on his beer and going over the possibilities in his mind. It couldn’t be too bad.

“Jack.”

“Geoff.”

Geoff took a breath, “Jack, exactly how nervous am I supposed to be about this?” It wasn’t the question he wanted to ask, but it was the one that could get past his throat before evaporating. He had wanted to ask _Do you think this is a good idea?_ Or _We’re too young, right?_ Or _Is it too late to get out of this?_

He didn’t ask those questions.

Jack let out a breath of relief, “It’s completely normal to be nervous, Geoff.”

“Is it?”

“Yes, dude, and it’s gonna be fine! She’s gonna make it all the way down the aisle, and fuck who-all aren’t coming anyway.” Jack said, that warm hand reassuring on his shoulder, though Geoff could barely feel it.

Geoff hadn’t even thought of his parents. They got married young. He swallowed again.

“Yeah. Yeah,” Geoff said, and Jack squeezed his shoulder once more before heading back to the garage, where Ryan was yelling for them to hurry up.

Geoff licked at his lips and blinked and blinked at the marble counter, trying to picture her in the small church, ever-present pout gracing her features even as she walked down the aisle- why were they even having a church wedding? He pictured her parents in the front pew, father’s face stern as her mother dabbed at tears with a cotton cloth. Right, _that’s_ why they were having a church wedding.

Geoff’s stomach was a ball of hot lead. It was fine. It was just the wedding, not the marriage. It would be over quickly.

The Bulls won.

“A June wedding!” Gavin sighed dreamily in the makeshift groomsmen-room as Geoff frantically ran his fingers through his hair over and over again in the mirror.

“If you had told me two years ago that Geoff would be having a June wedding I- Geoff, stop fiddling with it, it looks fine.” Ryan said, holding a glass of champagne.

“The barber fucked it up.” Geoff said, voice hoarse.

“You can’t even tell,” Jack said.

“I can tell!” Geoff yelled, voice cracking, and the guys flinched. Geoff put his face in his hand and swallowed, already feeling himself sweating through the tux, _“What_ is taking so long?”

“Calm down Geoff, you’ll be up there in no time,” Gavin said, and Geoff wanted to wring his neck. Or wring his own neck. He was really sweating a lot.

He tapped his foot as the guys made conversation about who had showed up, which girl was the maid of honor, which side of the altar they would be standing. Geoff could feel his heart in his throat.

“Okay.” Geoff said, and the guys looked up.

“What’s up, Geoff?” Jack said.

“Someone give me a pack of cigarettes, I need to take a walk.” Geoff said, holding his hand out and twitching his fingers in an itchy ‘gimme’ gesture. Ryan and Jack shared a look as Gavin happily handed over a pack of cigarettes, touching Geoff’s face briefly.

“Chin up Geoffrey, I bought those just for you,” Gavin said with a wink.

“You’re a saint.” Geoff said wryly, and made to walk out of the room. The guys busied themselves with tying each other’s ties and figuring out whose suit jacket was whose, and Geoff paused by the bowl that held everyone’s keys for just a second before grabbing Jack’s keys, familiar home-made Tetris charm hanging off them almost comforting to his eyes. Almost.

He pocketed the keys quietly and grabbed the handle of the door.

“Geoff-,” Jack started, and Geoff froze, thinking of a million and one excuses at once, and then Jack continued, “Just make it quick, we’re minutes away.”

Geoff nodded once and was out the door.

He was lighting up the first cigarette before he even made it out of the church. The second one he lit in the car. The third was two smaller towns over from their own small Texas town. The fourth was on Gus Sorola’s back porch, sitting on the steps and telling himself he was too cool to cry, even if this was a big deal.

_“Yeah he’s here. No, I don’t think he wants to see anyone right now. Yeah. Yeah I’ll call. Okay. Bye.”_

Geoff heard the words muffled through the thin paneling between Gus’ kitchen and the back porch, and as he stomped out his fourth cigarette in favor of a fifth, he wondered who had made the call. Jack maybe. Or maybe Gavin was the only one unfazed enough to think of Gus.

Maybe it was her.

He took a deep inhale and then let it out, watched the smoke fade into the falling sun.

Gus walked out his backdoor and settled down beside Geoff on the steps. Geoff hoped that Gus wasn’t too upset that he’d jumped the fence to hide there. Dragged him into the mess. He didn’t want to go to the wedding in the first place, and Geoff didn’t blame him. Respected it. Said something along the lines of “As long as you don’t force me to come to yours.”

Now they sat in silence for a bit as Geoff redoubled his efforts to not cry, but somehow having Gus witness him in this state sent an upended bottle of vodka’s worth of tears streaming down his face. He remained expressionless, let them fall, took another drag of cigarette number five. Waited for Gus to say something about it.

“The Bulls won,” Gus said instead, staring straight ahead.

“Yeah, yeah they did.” Geoff said after a bit, and his voice wavered but it was working.

“Isn’t that like, their third championship win in a row?” Gus said.

Geoff was grateful for him.

“I think it is, yeah,” Geoff said with a sniff. And so, they talked about the game. Gus filled him in on what he missed when Geoff asked Jack the wrong question for those few minutes in the kitchen of his mid-sized home made for a family that had never known trailers or dirt-poor.

The Bulls won. But this of course, meant that the Suns had lost.

**

“Gus- like Gus from the theater Gus?” Michael asked, eyes focused on a faraway point throughout most of Geoff’s talking finding their way back to Geoff again.

“The very same.” Geoff said, nodding like it was vital and connecting information that he couldn’t possibly leave unconfirmed for Michael.

“Huh. Wow.” Michael said, and settled closer against Geoff in their dent on the couch.

“Yeah. That’s the uh- that’s the story.” Geoff said, and belatedly realized he had never told it before. He never had to. His chest felt lighter, and he was suddenly itching for a cigarette.

“Helluva story, Geoff,” Michael said, patting Geoff’s chest, and Geoff bit back a laugh.

“Did you learn anything?” Geoff asked in the style of a librarian, post-story time.

“Sure, yeah. I learned that uh- Jeremy is an idiot,” Michael counted on his fingers and Geoff laughed, “I’m an idiot, Ryan is an idiot, and also that you almost married a girl. Which is interesting.”

“Is it?” Geoff asked, shoulders going taut.

“Not really, I was just trying to make you feel better. Since I heard that your wedding was called off and all.” Michael said, rubbing Geoff’s chest and this was why Geoff had fallen for this stupid boy.

“Oh, how kind of you.” Geoff said through a chuckle, his grin making his words tight.

“Well, it’s the least I can do. I did barge in accusing you of- I don’t even know what.” Michael said, all memory of the incident blurry and without motive to speak of anymore.

“Of… having a more depressing story than you could ever hope to tell me?” Geoff asked, lilt present in his voice that made Michael smile.

“Well, I don’t know about _that.”_ Michael said, glancing down briefly, “Maybe.”

Geoff stared at the side of Michael’s face until he couldn’t help but lean in and kiss his temple, “There’s a story behind that 'maybe', and I’m gonna hear it.”

Michael chuckled, and leaned against his shoulder, “Would you grant me the grace period I stole from you?”

“Yes. Because I lo-,” Geoff coughed and pulled Michael closer, “Because you’re so cute or whatever.”

Michael let out a humming laughter, “You’re not slick, Geoffrey.”

“Shut up.” Geoff said.

“You know me better than that,” Michael said, “I’ll talk until your pretty little ears fall off, Geoff, and I’ll keep talking when I pick ‘em up and sew ‘em back on with the needle you act like is only for making cool new holes in your body to put accessories in. I’ll-,”

Geoff cut him off with a kiss that made Michael roll his eyes, and he laughed into it, kissing easily and softly. Okay, so Michael couldn’t talk _forever._

“Burgers!” Ryan yelled when he burst in the front door and startled them apart.

“Hey look! It’s my laundry guy!” Geoff said, as Michael hopped up from the couch to look through the bags upon bags of food that Ryan had brought.

“Laundry guy?” Ryan asked, and Geoff smiled as he approached the kitchen.

“Yeah. Laundry guy does my laundry once a week for the next month because he has a big mouth,” Geoff said, and Ryan hung his head.

“If I had known I was gonna be laundry guy I would have bought less food.” Ryan pouted.

“You gonna starve a runaway bride? That’s fucking low, Ryan,” Michael said through a mouthful of french fries, “He’s been on a diet for months!”

“Oh, we can joke about it now?” Ryan asked, perking up a bit.

Geoff pulled a burger from the stack inside of the bags and took a bite, “No.”

Ryan frowned again, and Michael grinned a mouthful of mashed up food up at him, “If I had known that there were so many boyfriend privileges, I would’ve done more than kiss you at the graduation party,”

“You _WHAT!?”_ Michael spat food across the counter.

Geoff immediately turned a glare on Ryan, who was already gathering up food in his arms and running toward his bedroom, “Sorry, Geoff!”

Michael stared at Geoff with his full mouth open in shock, and Geoff sighed, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms until he saw white behind his eyelids. They had a lot of stories to tell each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow i bet u weren't expecting SPORTS REFERENCES,,, NEITHER DID I!!!!!!!!!!!  
> it's historically accurate basketball by the way
> 
> ANYWAY it's 6am and i started writing at midnight and this is what happened in six hours of hyperfocus!!!!!
> 
> i have finals coming up and that's why this one came out later than expected but if u expected consistency at this point, you're a wishful thinker and i'd love to know your secrets. also i should wait to post this tomorrow but i'm not gonna do that
> 
> the next chapter might be up next week, but if not, no later than the week after that!!
> 
> please! comment letting me know what you think!!! i love that shit!!! and leave kudos if you aren't one of those angels that has done so already! okay! goodnight! good morning! whatever!


	19. Chapter 19

Geoff stumbled in the front door of the apartment exhausted. Ryan gave him a look of sympathy as Geoff walked past him without even a grunt of acknowledgement. He was headed straight to his piece of shit bed, the only comfort he had at the moment. He fell onto his mattress fully clothed and knocked out. If anything was going to convince him to finish college, it was how fucking tired working at a boring customer service center made him. He’d rather be working at a phone sex hotline, which was really saying something, because he had accidentally worked at one before and it was heavily embarrassing. But at least it was interesting.  
  
On top of that, he was seeing less and less of Michael because of the spread of his hours, and whenever he did see Michael it was always after a long shift, it always went late, and he always fell asleep in the middle of it. It sucked, because their relationship was still shiny and new, and Geoff was missing it. Michael was supportive and sweet, and way too considerate, and Geoff felt that at any second that attitude could crumble. So Geoff was working on a plan. As he slept. Kind of.  
  
Admittedly, it was still pretty half-baked when he showed up outside of Michael’s last class of the day, arm out to take his backpack from his shoulder when he exited the room.  
  
“Hey,” Michael smiled as Geoff shouldered his backpack.  
  
“C’mon,” Geoff said, grabbing Michael’s hand briefly and then switching to pulling at the hem of his sleeve when Michael nervously glanced away.  
  
“Where’re we going?” Michael laughed out when Geoff yanked him into running out of the building and out on the street.  
  
“Well, first we’re going to grab a bunch of whatever you need from your place, then we’re going on uh- a little vacation.” Geoff raised his eyebrows and smiled as they crossed the street and Michael scoffed and followed after him.  
  
“Vacation- Geoff, I have-,”  
  
“School? Nah I think-,” Geoff pulled out a notepad from his pocket and read off, “Michael has a _really_ bad case of the stomach flu and won’t be able to make it to class this week.” Geoff smirked and fanned himself with the notepad dramatically.  
  
“Is that a doctor’s notepad?” Michael laughed and snatched it from his grasp.  
  
“Yeah, I snatched it a while back,” Geoff shrugged as he opened the door to Michael’s building to let him in as he examined the notepad.  
  
“This- can’t you get like prescriptions with this?” Michael asked.  
  
“Well uh- legally, I think I shouldn’t say,” Geoff chuckled when Michael squinted at him.  
  
They entered Michael’s dorm and Geoff bit back a smile as he realized he’d never actually been inside of Michael’s place. It was small, but not crammed with furniture and garbage like some dorms Geoff had been in before. He glanced in the kitchen and saw the phone that Michael probably used to call him every day, blushed a little as he spotted a yellow legal pad on the counter with messages from Geoff, mixed with other messages from others- “Rye” “Mom- J” “Matt” scrawled in different handwritings down the lines. It was weirdly comforting to see hints of _them_ in Michael’s place. He wondered if Michael saw the same in his place.  
  
“Uh, so this is my room,” Michael said and gestured for Geoff to follow him inside. Geoff giggled and threw himself on Michael’s bed, moaned exaggeratedly into his pillow.  
  
Michael rolled his eyes and started opening his drawers while Geoff continued to be a goof on his bed, lifting Michael’s pillow to his face and breathing in before humming in laughter, “I was gonna make a joke about how this smells like you, but it actually does. Kinda uh- kinda hot.”  
  
_“You’re_ kinda hot.” Michael shot back.  
  
“You comin’ on to me right in your own bedroom?” Geoff said, sitting up on the edge of the bed as he did.  
  
“Maybe,” Michael shrugged.  
  
“Slutty. I like it,” Geoff chuckled and wrapped his arms around Michael’s waist, nosing into the warmth of his lower back as Michael giggled and turned in his grasp. Geoff hummed as he lifted Michael’s shirt so his stubble scritched along the soft of Michael’s belly, settled his inked hands on Michael’s hips, kissed at his navel. Michael sucked in a deep breath and threaded his fingers through Geoff’s hair, closing his eyes as Geoff kissed his stomach, thinking he should feel self-conscious but only feeling safe. Feeling good.  
  
Geoff’s kisses turned to open-mouthed sucking, nipping at freckled skin until he found Michael’s hipbone and bit at it playfully. He looked up at Michael to find him biting at his lower lip, eyes still closed as his hands mussed through Geoff’s hair mindlessly. Geoff’s hand shifted from where it had settled on Michael’s hip and grazed over Michael’s crotch. Michael’s length twitched, and Geoff smiled a bit when Michael let out a small moan.  
  
“I’m supposed to be _packing,”_ Michael breathed out, half a whine.  
  
“We have time,” Geoff said quietly, letting out a hot breath over Michael’s cock. Michael whined throatily, and Geoff’s hand moved to palm him fully, squeezing and rubbing him over his jeans.  
  
“How much time?” Michael breathed out when Geoff popped the button and pulled the zipper down with his teeth.  
  
“Time.”  
  
“But I wanna _fuck,_ I don’t just- _ah, shit,”_ Michael’s fingers tightened in Geoff’s hair as he mouthed wetly over the fabric of his boxer briefs.  
  
“Don’t be greedy, Michael,” Geoff said when he pulled away.  
  
Michael whined, pushed Geoff down on the bed by his shoulders and straddled him, kissing him messy and wanting as he thrusted down against Geoff’s clothed cock, seeking friction so badly. Geoff hummed a moan between their mouths, biting at Michael’s mouth as he continued thrusting against him, Michael getting his hands between them to undo Geoff’s pants so that their cocks slotted together seamlessly through only their layers of underwear. The friction was driving Geoff crazy, his hands going for Michael’s ass to help him press their cocks together with each thrust, moaning throatily as it was _just_ short of enough- delicious friction that begged to be more, to be a mouth or tongue or hand, but was instead dirty dry-humping in Michael’s dorm room in the middle of the afternoon.  
  
_“Ah- fuck,”_ Michael let out, eyelashes fluttering.  
  
Michael was letting out these sex-hazed little whimpers against Geoff’s mouth, not even kissing him anymore but just breathing hotly against his wet mouth and biting every once in a while when it got to be just too much. Geoff was dying for it, wanted more of it, wanted it now.  
  
Geoff squeezed Michael’s ass and elicited another filthy whimper from him, and Geoff’s cock was throbbing with want. He flipped them suddenly, and Michael let out a gasp as Geoff truly went to town, thrusting against him fast and hard and nasty, pushing him into the bed with the force of it. He felt like a teenager who was just discovering this for the first time again, the way that Michael clutched at him, yanking at his t-shirt and quivering where his thighs tried to keep them pressed together, whimpering wantonly.  
  
When Michael came, Geoff thought of how he had never really done _this_ with someone, this heedless passionate thing, almost an accident, almost on purpose- not quite one thing or the other. Very teenage, very blushy cheeks and downcast gazes from the guilt of first pleasure, but better, but with Michael who wanted sex and settled for another way that their bodies could be pressed together, sweaty and sticky and unwise.  
  
Geoff came with an unbelieving smile, encouraged by Michael’s loopy giggles as he surely realized the mess they’d made. Geoff collapsed beside Michael and fell into laughter beside him, pulled off his hoodie and tossed it on the floor from the overheat.  
  
“Uh, whoops?” Michael giggled, and Geoff smacked him with the pillow, still catching his breath as Michael’s laugh echoed louder in the room.  
  
“ _“Whoops,”_ you _prick,_ you turned down a blowjob and made me ruin these fucking boxers,” Geoff laughed out, groaning in disgust as he shucked his pants.  
  
“Oh boo-fucking-hoo, I made you come, how rude of me!” Michael chuckled, getting up and going to his bathroom, coming back naked with a damp hand towel in hand.  
  
Geoff tossed his boxer briefs aside and Michael sat between his bare legs as he toweled gently over Geoff’s crotch, making Geoff inhale sharply at the sensitivity. Michael tossed the towel on the ground, and just smiled down at Geoff, amused eyes bright as his hands rested on Geoff’s thighs. Geoff couldn’t help but smile back, placed his hands on Michael’s briefly before bringing them to his face to kiss at his knuckles.  
  
Michael blushed and snatched his hands away, and Geoff sat up fully to kiss him soft, all of the heat from before gone, leaving only a tenderness that was soft and airy between them. Geoff held him close and rested his chin in the warmth between Michael’s neck and shoulder, the softness of the skin. Michael breathed deeply into Geoff’s t-shirt.  
  
“I missed you,” Michael said quietly.  
  
“I didn’t go anywhere,” Geoff said.  
  
_“This_ kind of did though. I’m glad we’re taking a break, from the- the rest of the world I guess.” Michael said.  
  
Geoff took a breath. Michael was right, of course, but Geoff had hoped that maybe it hadn’t been affecting Michael as much as it had him. It was silly to think it wouldn’t, Geoff had felt a general inadequacy in being out of school, a tiredness that couldn’t be kissed away. They should’ve talked about it. They needed to.  
  
“You know this isn’t your fault, right?” Geoff said suddenly, having thought about it for the first time in a while.  
  
Michael stiffened in Geoff’s arms and Geoff pulled away so he could look at Michael properly. Michael’s gaze was focused down and away, and Geoff let out a breath- how could he not have realized it?  
  
“Michael, this isn’t your fault,” Geoff said, firmly, voice still soft as he lifted Michael’s head with a finger to his chin.  
  
“I mean, it kinda fucking is,” Michael said.  
  
“No, it’s not.” Geoff said, softer still.  
  
“Geoff, you’re out of school, it’s been weeks. You’re telling me you didn’t blame me for this, not even once?” Michael said, crossing his arms and leaning away.  
  
“No you moron, _I’m_ the one who did it. It was _my_ decision to do the radio thing. My consequences- which I was fucking- fucking aware of the whole time, by the way. We all were,” Geoff said, hands going to Michael’s shoulders and squeezing lightly.  
  
“You still did it because I was an idiot,” Michael muttered.  
  
“You’re not an idiot, okay? You were probably the only rational person in this whole thing, the rest of us are crazy,” Geoff chucked softly, trying to catch Michael’s gaze again, “I was crazy, I _am_ crazy, like- for you or whatever.”  
  
_“Or whatever,”_ Michael chuckled under his breath.  
  
“There’s the smile,” Geoff said, hand cradling Michael’s face gently for a second.  
  
Michael rolled his eyes, a little watery, and Geoff pulled him into a hug. Michael let out a harsh breath and let himself be held, let Geoff release him and kiss his temple, run a quieting hand through his hair. He was glad he had Geoff.  
  
“Fuck, I’m supposed to be packing.” Michael said, standing and pulling on clean underwear and a pair of pants.  
  
“We’re not in like, a huge rush, I just don’t like driving at night that much,” Geoff said, laying back on the bed and frowning at his crumpled jeans on the ground.  
  
“Where’re we going anyway, Geoffrey?” Michael said, turning over his shoulder as he gently pulled folded clothes- who folds their clothes?- from drawers and rested them on the edge of his dresser in neat stacks.  
  
Geoff just smirked.  
  
**  
  
“The beach,” Michael said, and it still didn’t feel real.  
  
“Yes, I’m an amazing boyfriend and I’m taking you on your first ever beach trip, I know, I know,” Geoff said with a grin and Michael shoved him as they walked down the street back to Geoff’s place.  
  
“It’s November.” Michael said.  
  
“Whatever, it’s Texas. Texas Novembers are like New Jersey Aprils.” Geoff shrugged, “Plus, romantic getaway on an empty beach in November? How fucking sweet is that?”  
  
“How are we- what are we- where-,” Michael stuttered, and Geoff just pulled him into a brief side-hug as they walked on, stopping Michael before he could overthink it.  
  
“All will be revealed in time,” Geoff said in an ominous voice, then spluttered out a laugh, “No- uh- we’re taking Ryan’s car, who so graciously agreed to lend us the only true love in his life-,”  
  
“Wow, just fuck Jeremy, huh?” Michael cut in.  
  
“Don’t tell him, it’d only break his wittle heart- uh-,” Geoff chuckled, “and we’re staying at Jack’s parent’s timeshare condo at the beach,”  
  
“You’re fucking kidding,” Michael said as Geoff held open the door to his complex to let him in.  
  
“It has a view. And like, a heated pool I think,” Geoff said, raising his eyebrows mischievously.  
  
“Geoff, oh my god,” Michael said.  
  
“We can recreate our second date, aw,” Geoff clutched his hands to his chest, and Michael laughed.  
  
Geoff smiled at him with all the softness in the world as he fiddled with his keys to get the door to his apartment open, and Michael felt an incredible swell in his chest, like the highest crest in an ocean wave. Michael’s returning smile felt like a glow that his mouth couldn’t contain, had to release outwardly or he would combust. God, what was Geoff doing to him?  
  
“Geoff.” Michael said suddenly, just as Geoff got the key in the door.  
  
“Hm?” Geoff said distractedly as he turned the handle.  
  
“Geoff I- uh. Geoff I lo-,” Michael started breathlessly, but as he spoke, Geoff opened the door to find all their friends inside the apartment.  
  
“Finally!” Gavin yelled, standing and dragging a rolling suitcase behind him.  
  
“Wha-,” Geoff said, entering the apartment and looking at everyone. They all had backpacks, duffle bags, sunglasses, and sheepish looks on their faces. “What are- wha- no. No!”  
  
“Don’t be a bitch, Geoff,” Jeremy said from where he was leaning against Ryan on the couch.  
  
“NO! No, no, I’m not- _no!”_ Geoff whined.  
  
“What the fuck is going on?” Michael said, still not understanding.  
  
“We’re going with you.” Ray deadpanned, and Jack lifted his hands with a chagrined smile.  
  
“Surprise?” Ryan said.  
  
Michael nodded once and sat on the couch as he waited for Geoff to blow up.  
  
“Are you fucking kidding me? NO! I don’t even know how this- how you fucking- what you’re even thinking! You assholes!”  
  
“Calm it down Geoff, you’ll scare the kids,” Gavin said, clapping Geoff on the shoulder.  
  
Geoff cleared his throat and turned his glare on Gavin, “Gavin, when I say, I’m gonna take Michael on a romantic getaway, what does that mean to you?”  
  
Gavin scoffed, “Sounds like you’re trying to get-away from us!”  
  
“KINDA!” Geoff yelled.  
  
“C’mon Geoff, it’s my car, Jack’s place. It might as well be our trip!”  
  
“Except one thing- it’s _not!”_  
  
“You won’t even know we’re there,” Jack said, voice hesitantly calm.  
  
Geoff groaned and sat poutily on Michael’s lap, “I hate our friends,” he grumbled.  
  
“To be fair, I feel like this is mostly your friends’ fault, and my friends are just tagging along.” Michael said, wrapping his arms around Geoff’s waist.  
  
Geoff considered it briefly, “You’re so fucking right. I hate my friends.”  
  
“Don’t be daft, we’re all friends with each other now little Michael,” Gavin said, booping Michael on the nose softly.  
  
Michael looked on in amusement, “We’re the same age?”  
  
“DON’T TOUCH MICHAEL,” Geoff yelled hoarsely, voice cracking as he pulled Gavin into a headlock, only half seriously.  
  
“That’s- _agh-_ that’s fair,” Gavin choked dramatically, falling over on the couch when Geoff released him.  
  
Michael laughed, “But Geoff! We’re all friends! I’d let my friends touch you probably!”  
  
“Ew,” Ray said, and Jeremy just shrugged.  
  
“That’s the difference Michael. That’s the difference.” Geoff said.  
  
Michael chuckled and glanced over at Jack, “Can Jack touch me?” Michael said, touching Jack’s shoulder briefly and earning a bright, kind smile from him. Michael smiled back, cheeks a little blushy, he hadn’t talked to Jack much, but the dude was a sweetheart.  
  
Geoff pouted, “No.” he let out with a whine, and continued, “but obviously I’m not actually making rules where my friends aren’t allowed to touch my boyfriend because I’m not an asshole so-,” Geoff sighed as Gavin’s face brightened way too quickly, “everyone is allowed to touch Michael- _if he’s cool with it!”_  
  
“MICHAEL!” Gavin squeaked, shoving Geoff out of his lap and settling himself there instead.  
  
“Very kind of you, Geoff,” Jack chuckled, and ruffled Michael’s curls briefly.  
  
Michael was very blushy now, as Gavin made himself comfortable and raised his eyebrows at Michael mischievously. The guys kind of looked on as Geoff groaned on the ground.  
  
“I’m gonna regret this, I should’ve just been an asshole,” Geoff muttered.  
  
“Why aren’t you as protective of me as Geoff is of Michael?” Jeremy said to Ryan.  
  
Ryan was startled by the question, shook his head and stuttered out, “Uh, because I’m a trusting, confident person?”  
  
“Thanks a lot, Ryan,” Geoff said.  
  
“Sorry Geoff.” Ryan said.  
  
“It’s okay Geoff, I already knew you were insecure,” Michael said as Gavin played with his curls, probably specifically to get on Geoff’s nerves. It was working.  
  
“Everyone knows,” Jack chuckled.  
  
“You guys suck,” Geoff said.  
  
“I feel like I accidentally signed up for a couples’ retreat,” Ray said warily.  
  
“Piss off, Ray, it’s gonna be a blast!” Gavin said.  
  
“Alright,” Jack said, standing up, “We should get going.”  
  
Ryan tossed his keys at Geoff, hitting his chest and then falling into his hands. He looked at Ryan in question.  
  
“You and Michael can take my car. The rest of us are going in Jack’s.” Ryan said.  
  
“Oh. Uh, thanks,” Geoff said gratefully, shooting a grin at Michael.  
  
“Please don’t have sex in my car,” Ryan said as everyone started gathering their things.  
  
“Well, that’s just no fun Ryan,” Michael said, winking.  
  
“Oh my god, please don’t. Please don’t.” Ryan said, frowning deeply.  
  
“We’re not gonna have sex in your car, christ, we’ll be driving. Can’t even happen.” Michael laughed out.  
  
As the guys started packing things into the cars, taking way too long for all the fucking around, Jack pulled Geoff aside for a second. They watched as the guys shoved at each other and tried to see who could carry the tallest pile of backpacks for the longest. Geoff chuckled as Michael tripped Gavin so he toppled over in a pile of backpacks, everyone doubling over in laughter at the sight.  
  
“What’s up?” Geoff said when he refocused.  
  
“First, sorry that we’re all tagging along. I know it’s not exactly what you wanted,” Jack said.  
  
“It’s fine, it’ll be fun anyway. I love you guys, y’know?”  
  
“Yeah,” Jack said, and Geoff glanced back at Michael, who caught him looking and smiled for a second. “Just- be careful?”  
  
“Hm?”  
  
“Vacations, they can put a lot of stress on a relationship- especially new ones,” Jack said.  
  
“Jack, you worry too much. Michael and I practically live together, close quarters aren’t gonna change anything,” Geoff said, clapping Jack on the shoulder.  
  
“Okay, but. Just stay calm. We’re all here to back you guys up, okay?” Jack said.  
  
“Oh Jack, I fucking love you man.” Geoff said, and walked back to the group.  
  
They all piled into their respective cars, and Geoff and Michael shared a grin when they finally got the car to themselves. Geoff leaned over and kissed Michael, pulling a smile and those cute dimples from his cheeks.  
  
“Ready?” Geoff asked.  
  
“Fuck yeah, I am,” Michael said, and Geoff pulled out of the parking lot.  
  
They got to the first traffic light, and Michael let out a little giggle, making Geoff turn to look at him in questioning amusement.  
  
“Were totally gonna fuck in this car, aren’t we?” Michael got out.  
  
“Oh yeah, definitely,” Geoff said, and Michael let out a laugh, Geoff joining in as they drove out of Austin. It was gonna be a good fucking trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just finished finals haaaaaaaaaa, here's uhhhhhhhhhh this!  
> i'm gonna keep a loose schedule, but things should be more regular since it's summer now
> 
> leave a comment if you've been putting up with me and wanna let me know what you think! leave kudos if u wanna do that! ♥


	20. Chapter 20

Try as they might to be on the road before the sun called it a day, Geoff still found himself holding tighter to the wheel as the sun dipped below the horizon, first casting them in a glow of orange before bidding adieu in surety at last. Michael fiddled with the CD player and mumbled to himself about the lack of a tape deck and the flimsiness of Ryan’s discs in his fingers beside him. Geoff took comfort in the normalcy of it all, Michael’s presence as he found one of Geoff’s mixes soothing any vexation that Geoff had garnered in the dips behind his ears.  
  
“Fucking- got it. I never thought CDs would take off y’know?” Michael said.  
  
Geoff smiled, “Oh none of us fucking did. What could rule out records- wh- what would take fucking tapes out? These scratchy little fuckers.”  
  
“Yeah. Whatever.” Michael said, and turned around to face the rear windshield, “Fuck, did we lose them?”  
  
“Maybe,” Geoff said, glancing in the rearview mirror, “Should I pull over?”  
  
“Who was driving?” Michael asked.  
  
“Uh, was it uh- Ryan?” Geoff said, and Michael shrugged.  
  
They looked at each other vaguely until Michael twisted around on the bench seat, closer to Geoff now, “I mean, Jack knows the way.”  
  
“Yeah- yeah, it’s his fucking house.” Geoff said.  
  
“Do _you_ know the fucking way?” Michael asked, laughing a little when Geoff opened his mouth but said nothing, “Should _we_ have been following _them?”_  
  
“No! I mean, well- I’ve uh, I’ve fucking been there before. A party or something.” Geoff sniffed, shrugging defensively.  
  
“Oh my god, we’re totally gonna get lost,” Michael said, digging into the glove box for a map.  
  
“Shut up we’re not- we- listen, there’s miles of Texas coastline, at the very least I’m gonna get us to the fucking beach,” Geoff got out, and Michael laughed as he twisted the map this way and that.  
  
“I guess it’s just- just us then?” Michael said with a raised brow, pulling his eyes away from the map looking sideways at Geoff when he felt his gaze on him.  
  
“It was already us, babe.” Geoff chuckled.  
  
“Oh, was it? _Babe?”_ Michael teased, putting a warm hand on Geoff’s knee.  
  
“I like how you just steal my nicknames- it’s- yeah it’s okay you can do that, I just think it’s funny how I’m doing the most creative work between us,” Geoff joked wistfully, ignoring Michael’s hand even as it danced midway down his thigh daintily, and then back again. Fucking _daintily-_ Geoff could be dainty. He could be dainty as hell.  
  
“How are _you_ the creative one?” Michael said through a laugh.  
  
“I dunno Michael, why don’t you ask the radio love confession, the uh- when I called you honey! That one time-,” Geoff’s voice got higher as he dragged Michael’s hand away from his inner thigh, and Michael snorted, “The uh- the poem! The… mix CD in Ryan’s glove compartment?”  
  
“The- you- I hate you, oh my god you didn’t,” Michael said, going for the glove compartment and rummaging around until he came up with a CD written over with sharpie **“YOU + ME”**  
  
Michael grinned stupidly as he turned it around to find Geoff’s meticulously scrawled tracklist- meticulous because he knew how heavily awful Geoff’s handwriting was, and this was almost completely legible. Michael’s eyes caught on random tracks that made him want to kill Geoff for being this stupid mushy boy- the CD living proof- with shit like _1\. Good Good Things – Descendents_ , fucking _4\. Slide – The Goo Goo Dolls,_ _8\. Wonderwall – Oasis,_ and- to Michael’s hearty laughter- _9\. Johnny Are You Queer? – Screeching Weasel_  
  
“You’re a fucking _sap,_ I can’t believe people think you’re hard,” Michael laughed, and grabbed his tattoo covered idiot-boyfriend by his leather jacket to pull him in for a kiss.  
  
Geoff pulled away with a laughing hum as the car jolted to the right and then left again, “Fuck you, there’s some punk love songs on there.”  
  
Michael laughed as he flipped the case in his fingers, “Just the fact that I haven’t even had a second glance at this thing and am still _sure_ we’ll be listening to Mariah Carey sometime tonight, is-,”  
  
Geoff licked at his teeth and then reached for the disc, “Alright, shut up, I’ll just take it back then-,”  
  
Michael snatched it away with a whole-hearted laugh, “It’s _MINE_ now, get your hands off of my new favorite mix!”  
  
“I mean was I just supposed to- what, ignore the classics? Just- just leave off _Always Be My Baby?_ Don’t you wanna _always_ be my baby?” Geoff whined.  
  
“Oh Geoff- _Geoff,_ please. Time _can’t_ erase a feeling this strong.” Michael giggled out, and Geoff rolled his eyes as Michael popped the disc into the CD player.  
  
A flush spread over Geoff’s cheeks as the first song played and he realized that the songs that he had methodically picked out for the mix were his feelings completely laid out, and they were just playing in Ryan’s car willy-fucking-nilly. Michael was grinning at the side of his face like a madman and Geoff hadn’t thought this through, it was so fucking sappy and so just- so fucking much. Michael was gonna tease him forever.  
  
God, Geoff hoped that the guys never found out about it.  
  
Geoff pursed his lips as Michael was practically pressed to him shoulder-to-hip, smiling against his jawline helplessly, and took in a breath to say as much about the mix, but Michael beat him to it, “You’re funny if you think I’m keeping this to myself. _Babe.”_  
  
“Michael, please, oh my fucking god,” Geoff said, turning to him briefly, Michael catching him in a kiss for a second as he did.  
  
“Sorry baby, you fell right into your own trap,” Michael said when Geoff turned back to the road, and then kissed down his scratchy jaw to his neck.  
  
“Michael- Michael, I’m driving,” Geoff said quietly, glancing around them when Michael’s hand finally found its destination between his legs. His eyes found them on one of those deserted Texas roads where there were steep falls on either side of the road that gave way to looming trees that shuttered the dusky sky around them. Any cars that that had been passing them by in the early hours were miles away now, no sign of anyone.  
  
Michael’s hand rubbed insistently over Geoff, making him giggle nervously and refrain from squeezing his legs together. Michael let out a breathy chuckle against his neck and kissed his neck again.  
  
“Is this okay? Do you wanna pull over?” Michael asked, hand idling as he waited for Geoff’s answer.  
  
“More than okay- _definitely_ more than okay-,” Geoff licked at his lips and focused on the road as Michael pulled him out of the confines of his pants and stroked him in earnest, stopping only enough to lick his hand and then get back to it.  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“Hot, super hot, I’m gonna make you- _fuck-_ I’m gonna make you like eleven more mixes,” Geoff breathed out, nodding to himself as he followed the endlessly straight road ahead of him and reassured himself that they had a few more hours of this nothingness shrouded in trees.  
  
“Why eleven?” Michael chuckled against his neck hotly.  
  
“Uh- one for every other month of the year?” Geoff said, sounding more like a question and pulling a laugh from Michael as a result.  
  
Geoff breathed out heavily at the end of a chuckle as Michael thumbed over the head of his cock, then down again. Michael rolled his eyes and pulled Geoff’s shirt up to kiss a trail down his stomach. Geoff bit his lip and tuned in to the music as it transitioned to the next track, swallowing back a moan when Michael sealed his mouth around the head of his cock and sucked, licking at his sensitive slit.  
  
Geoff slammed his head back against the headrest as Michael sunk down further on his cock, the wet heat of his mouth making Geoff feel hot all over, blood running a few degrees higher. He eased up on the gas and let out a long breath, blinking at the road when Michael pulled off with a breath air and a bite on his hip.  
  
“Geoff, we’re in the middle of buttfuck, nowhere. Moan if you wanna,” Michael said with a laugh, and then licked a thick stripe up Geoff’s cock.  
  
Geoff rolled his eyes, and then stopped himself from biting back, _“Fuuuck,”_  
  
Michael hummed in appreciation, and Geoff absently grasped that Michael wasn’t exactly worried that Geoff was holding back as much as he just wanted to hear that he was doing good. Geoff loosed one hand from the steering wheel and tangled it in Michael’s curls, frizzy from the car ride thus far, pulling just enough to let Michael know he was there.  
  
“Fuck, _yeah Michael,”_ Geoff breathed out, Michael humming as he moved up and down on Geoff’s cock, lips sliding wetly over the flesh and catching briefly on the head as he paused for breath.  
  
“Yes, please, _god yes,”_ Geoff groaned, tightening his grasp in Michael’s hair as he breathed out heavily, a little shakily, as Geoff’s cock brushed the back of his throat.  
  
“You’re so good, so good for me,” Geoff murmured quietly, eyes tracking the road even as Michael mouthed down his shaft and then back up to tongue at his head. Geoff exhaled heavily when he glanced down to find Michael looking up at him through the fan of his lashes with wet eyes and a pink mouth.  
  
_“Fuck,_ Michael baby, _please_ I’m _so close,”_ Geoff got out, biting his bottom lip harshly.  
  
“Oh?” Michael said softly, soft mouth still pressed to Geoff’s cock, “You didn’t want me to draw this out?”  
  
“Michael, you fuckin’- just- _Michael-,”_ Geoff breathed out, and Michael just smirked.  
  
“Yes daddy,” Michael said quietly, and then sunk his mouth down around Geoff’s cock again. Geoff jolted with surprise at the word, briefly forgetting his driving but then jumping back, letting out a moan as Michael bobbed over his cock enthusiastically, humming so that the vibration surrounded Geoff’s cock.  
  
_“Fuuuck-_ yes- _ah,”_ Geoff gasped out, hands tightening on the wheel as he tried not to thrust into the heat of Michael’s throat.  
  
_“Michael- Michael I’m-,”_ was all Geoff could get out in warning before he was coming down Michael’s throat with a drawn out groan he barely recognized as his own.  
  
Michael gagged a bit at the suddenness of it, but continued sucking his cock as it softened, popping off of it once Geoff was shoving him away at the sensitivity, and tucked him back into his pants with deft fingers. He sat up and kissed Geoff’s neck briefly before resting his head back against the seat in a slump. Geoff glanced at Michael up and down, taking in his swollen mouth, and obviously hard cock straining in his jeans. He so fucking wanted to do something about it, licked his lips at the prospect of pulling over and just taking Michael in the back seat- fuck it, the front seat, the hood of the damn car, fucking wherever, god he was desperate.  
  
“You uh- you good there?” Geoff rasped out, clearing his throat.  
  
“Yeah,” Michael hummed.  
  
“You uh- well. I can-,” Geoff started.  
  
“Christ, you’re ready to go again aren’t you?” Michael laughed out.  
  
“I could be?” Geoff asked hopefully.  
  
“Geoffrey,” Michael said and shook his head with laughter.  
  
“Have you seen you?” Geoff asked, “Because I see you all the time, and like. I’m pretty much always ready to go again.”  
  
“Geoff!” Michael laughed.  
  
Geoff sighed, “Your fuckin’- your mouth, your- hips-,”  
  
“Hips?” Michael asked.  
  
“Fuck, I could probably get off just remembering the bruises on your hips from last time.” Geoff said, actively trying to think of something else as it would be counterproductive to get hard again, probably.  
  
“Mm. They’re fading.” Michael said softly, fingers finding the sore spots on his hips and letting out a quick breath at the feeling and how it only succeeded to rile him up more.  
  
“We’ll have to fix that,” Geoff mumbled.  
  
“We will.” Michael said, “At the house.”  
  
“Damn.” Geoff chuckled, then shrugged.  
  
“Call me crazy, but I’m betting if I make you wait for it, you’ll probably give it to me just. Harder.” Michael said, pressing the heel of his palm to his dick briefly.  
  
“Michael, you’re so not helping.” Geoff said.  
  
“Also, even though I wanna fuck in Ryan’s car, I’m thinking there’s a master bedroom with _at least_ a queen with our name on it.” Michael said.  
  
“Fuck, I think it’s a king.” Geoff remembered, the glass doors to a balcony that held behind them a bed that could easily fit five more of him and Michael.  
  
“Think of all the fun we could have on a king.” Michael groaned.  
  
“I’m trying not to.” Geoff said, clearing his throat again.  
  
“I saw the new collar in your luggage,” Michael said, hand teasing up Geoff’s shoulder.  
  
“Christ- it’s a choker, a _choker,”_ Geoff flushed, thinking the word _choker_ loudly in his head, and picturing the thick black band, this one without spikes and with a heart-shaped ring holding it together, “Well-,”  
  
“Whatever. I like it. A lot. A collar, a king sized mattress, a week of you and me-,” Michael sighed.  
  
“And five other idiots,” Geoff groaned almost leaning forward to bang his head on the steering wheel as he remembered the gang.  
  
“I think they’ll occupy themselves with other shit. Or they will. After the first time they hear us.” Michael said, and Geoff snorted out a laugh, “What?” Michael asked with a smile.  
  
“Nothing, just-,” Geoff smiled, “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”  
  
Michael smiled brightly, making the car feel all at once like the sun had come up and lit up the interior. Geoff let out a slow breath and turned back to the road, thought about missed calls and marked up book pages. Thought about Michael’s rosy cheeks when he went outside and the way the humidity made him hate his hair, but not enough to leave Texas.  
  
“Me too.” Michael said quietly, leaned over and kissed Geoff’s cheek. They sat in contented silence for a second before Michael continued, “I still don’t wanna fuck you in the car right now.”  
  
“Oh come on, please?” Geoff whined, and Michael laughed with his whole body, filling the car with everything Geoff couldn’t tell he wanted yet, invisible and explosive.  
  
He smiled. He could feel it.  
  
**  
  
Geoff drove steadily onwards, despite Michael’s protests asking them to switch places, worried about Geoff’s infamous fatigue over the last few weeks. Geoff coaxed Michael away from the idea and urged him to try and sleep so they wouldn’t lose a day to sleep when they arrived. Geoff was filled with an invigorating energy anyway, and even as Michael’s head rested on his shoulder in the almost-silence with an undercurrent of love songs on low volume, Geoff felt he could drive down the darkened road forever.  
  
Michael’s head jerked up and he shook his head a bit, curls bouncing, “Sorry,” he whispered, settling back against the seat.  
  
“Just sleep, I’m good.” Geoff said.  
  
Michael shook his head, “You need company.”  
  
“It’s not like when you fall asleep you just disappear, I still got company,” Geoff chuckled.  
  
“Not very good fuckin’ company.”  
  
“Fine, stay awake,” Geoff settled, and then chuckled again, “If you can.”  
  
Michael failed to stifle a yawn and punched Geoff on the shoulder lightly as he continued to laugh, “Whatever, I don’t need sleep. Not like I’ve been awake all day or anything.”  
  
“Sounds more like I’ll be helping uh- helping you stay awake than the other way around,” Geoff chuckled, ruffling Michael’s curls until he smacked his hand away.  
  
“So keep me awake then, fuckface,” Michael grumbled, “Tell me something.”  
  
“Like what?” Geoff asked.  
  
Michael paused, staring out at the road for long enough that Geoff turned to see if he had actually fallen asleep again. Michael was awake though, and adjusted where he was sitting when Geoff turned to him so that he was facing Geoff’s side a little more.  
  
“Why don’t you like driving at night?” Michael asked.  
  
Geoff swallowed, “Do you like it?”  
  
“Yeah, I guess. I don’t _not_ like it.” Michael said with a shrug, watching Geoff nod slightly before he spoke.  
  
“Who taught you?” Geoff asked, and Michael thought back to the cramped New Jersey neighborhood he grew up in, playing street football with boys whose names he couldn’t remember anymore. Sitting in worn leather seats that exposed patches of lining from underneath, a consequence of years and years of people passing through the car. Like it used to be a taxi.  
  
“Nobody,” Michael said after a moment, “Just me and some guys in my neighborhood taking turns in an old beat up car when I was sixteen.”  
  
“Whose car was it?” Geoff followed up, turning to Michael for a second and then refocusing on the road, or what was visible in the radius of the headlights.  
  
“Dunno. My buddy’s pops, probably.” Michael said, though he knew more than that. Frankie Deluca lived pretty close, so Michael would go over and play his video games. One day Frankie walked up jangling the keys in his hands to the group of guys sat on curb and pointed over his shoulder to the shitty old car, which of course excited them all.  
  
“Without permission, I’m guessing,” Geoff added.  
  
“We sure as shit weren’t gonna be able to get permission anyway, so yeah.” Michael said, thinking of him and five other sweaty boys crammed into a Chevy Nova together, Michael trying to focus on the excitement of driving rather than his jean-clad thighs brushing against the boys squeezed in with him in the backseat, the warmth that radiated off of them.  
  
“Mm, yeah I know how it is.” Geoff hummed, snapping Michael back to this car, this boy, the calming warmth that circulated between them.  
  
Neither said anything for a moment and then Geoff took a slow breath.  
  
“Kinda the same for me.” Geoff said, voice even and casual.  
  
“Yeah?” Michael pressed.  
  
“Nicked my old man’s keys. It was late, I didn’t have any buddies coming along or anything. Didn’t really know anyone.” Geoff said, the tone of his voice betraying some coldness, and the endless road seemed even more lonely in front of them. Michael shifted his shoulders at the change and refocused on the silhouette of Geoff’s face, slightly lit from the glow of the headlights.  
  
“Oh.” Michael said.  
  
Geoff shrugged, trying to break the tension he was creating about himself, “Different attitude where I grew up. Keep to yourself, eyes down and that. Anyway, so I take the keys.”  
  
“Right.”  
  
“We only had the one car. Fuckin’ thing was older than me, but it turned on.” Geoff said, and Michael nodded, “So I’m like, twelve I think, don’t know shit about cars or driving, but I know that I just had to turn the key and put it in drive.”  
  
Geoff continued with a breath, “Problem was that I didn’t know which pedals did what, and the fucking car was parked on an incline, and I didn’t know. It was dark.”  
  
“Oh fuck,” Michael said.  
  
“Yeah, that’s pretty much what I was thinking when it started rolling down the hill, hit the gas, smashed into a tree. Woke up to my old man dragging me out of the window by my shirt, smacking the hell out of me in the grass.” Geoff nodded, pursing his lips and staring straight ahead.  
  
“Busted the car, broke my arm, and the black eye and busted lip I showed up with at school were somehow part of the car accident if anyone asked,” Geoff said, thinking about how he refused to drive at night for years after, would look up at the sky when he walked around at night and see the shadow of his father bent over, open palm turning to closed fist.  
  
“Geoff…” Michael said softly, like an apology, leaning in a bit more.  
  
“So, I don’t really like driving in the dark,” Geoff shrugged, and then draped an arm over Michael’s shoulders, “But I don’t know. I think I’m kinda warming up to it.”  
  
Michael settled against him a little more comfortably and Geoff smiled to himself, breathing a little easier. It was true, just over the course of the hours-long drive he’d felt surer at the wheel than he ever had been. He didn’t want to overanalyze it and lose his resolve, but he felt it was obvious that Michael had done this. Even telling that story hadn’t taken it away as he had feared.  
  
They went on quietly for a while, the quiet thrum of the engine a lullaby that Michael was fighting to stay awake. Belatedly, Geoff realized that Michael was always asking him things to fill the time, painting the hours with long stories that Geoff hadn’t told in years. Geoff had never returned the favor. His heart sunk a bit, and he cleared his throat to get Michael’s attention.  
  
“Now you tell me something.” Geoff said, smiling encouragingly.  
  
“Like what?” Michael said after a moment, “I don’t think I’m-,”  
  
“If you try to tell me you’re not interesting one more time I’m gonna have to write a novel about your eyelashes, you fuckface,” Geoff interrupted, and Michael rolled his eyes as he laughed.  
  
“You get caught up on the weirdest things. Who cares about eyelashes?” Michael said, poking Geoff’s side.  
  
“I fuckin’ care, that’s who,” Geoff said.  
  
“Oh, pardon me, I forgot my loving boyfriend is obsessed with my eyelashes. Watch out everyone, he’s gonna write a sonnet about my pubes next,” Michael laughed out, and Geoff joined him.  
  
“You joke, but keep checking your mailbox, buddy,” Geoff said.  
  
“Please don’t,” Michael laughed.  
  
“Too late! _An Ode to the Pubes in His Shower Drain by Geoff L. Ramsey,”_ Geoff said, and Michael was coughing with how hard he was laughing, gripping Geoff’s arm like mad. Geoff grinned in accomplishment. He _would_ write a sonnet about that fucking laugh. He’d paint watercolor about it, he’d fucking build a house about it for fuck’s sake. He couldn’t do either of those things, but just watch him try.  
  
“God, you’re the worst.” Michael said when he caught his breath.  
  
“Yeah I am,” Geoff smiled, “Now tell me something. Anything.”  
  
“Uh,” Michael hummed, “I don’t know, that’s so-,” he ran a hand through his hair, “broad. Like what, what do I tell you that you don’t already know?”  
  
“I don’t know plenty,” Geoff countered.  
  
“Well, like what?” Michael asked.  
  
“Well,” Geoff started, “I never had any pets, did you have one?”  
  
Michael settled into his seat a little bit and glanced at the opposite corner of the windshield, “Yeah. Yeah, I did, I had a dog.”  
  
“A dog.” Geoff repeated.  
  
“Yeah.” Michael said, arms crossed now. Geoff rolled his eyes and reached over to untangle his forearms until they were at his sides again.  
  
“Tell me about your dog.” Geoff said, and Michael sighed.  
  
“I liked my dog more than I liked my sisters. But I didn’t see my sisters a lot, and my dog never let me down. Roscoe.” Michael said, still staring at that corner of the windshield and tracing the crack on the glass that started in that corner.  
  
“Roscoe’s the dog.”  
  
Michael nodded, “Yeah. He died before I graduated.”  
  
“I’m sorry.” Geoff said.,  
  
“He was a dog. It’s okay.” Michael chewed at his bottom lip absently for a bit, and Geoff let him have the silence. “I don’t think I could ever get another one, y’know?”  
  
“Really?”  
  
“I raised him, like, nine years. I was just a kid, I had one job, the job was keep the dog alive,” Michael said, and Geoff was starting to hear the inklings of Michael’s Jersey accent in the word _dog._ “I used to play with him in my room while my parents were fighting.”  
  
“He could even roll over, it was so god damn cute,” Michael went on with a small laugh before Geoff could interject, “My mom always got mad at me for skipping classes the last few years of high school but man, he waited for me all day. He was old! School was bullshit. Whatever.”  
  
“Well, you graduated.” Geoff said.  
  
Michael scoffed, “Barely. I’m still waiting for them to call me and say there was a huge mistake.”  
  
“Oh, same here.” Geoff said with a low chuckle, “Tell me something funny he did.”  
  
Michael thought for a moment and then laughed, “So I had all these dirty mags under my mattress-,”  
  
“Tasteful,” Geoff said, nodded his head once.  
  
“Very. And straight as hell, of course.” Michael said, chuckling a bit, “Which is why they stayed under my mattress for a long fucking time. But, one day I’m cleaning my room up, find the magazines and toss them in a pile of shit to throw away.”  
  
“As one does,” Geoff said, imagining a teenage Michael cleaning up his room with maybe postered walls and plaid bedsheets.  
  
“Right.” Michael said, “Roscoe’s still growing out of being a puppy, so he likes playing with trash,”  
  
“Oh-ho-ho, boy,” Geoff laughed.  
  
Michael shook his head with a wry smile, “It gets better. _So_ he’s messing around in the trash, and I don’t see him run out of my room with the dirty magazines.”  
  
Geoff chuckled and said in a knowing tone, “Where’d he take ‘em?”  
  
Michael paused for dramatic effect, “My sister’s room.”  
  
“Oh?” Geoff asked, interest piqued.  
  
“So, my mom comes home, goes into my sister’s room to- I don’t know, get her sheets or something- and there’s the dog,” Michael giggled cheekily, “asleep in a pile of ripped out pages with naked ladies plastered all over them.”  
  
“Does she go and yell at ya?” Geoff asked.  
  
“No. Better. My sister gets home and my mom walks up to her-,” Michael paused as he started to laugh harder.  
  
“She’s holding up all these chewed up pictures of naked women yellin’ _“What are ya, a lezzie now?! Is that why you got your belly button pierced?! The combat boots!?”_ Can you- can you fucking believe?” Michael laughed out, and Geoff let out a high and hearty laugh, slamming the steering wheel with one hand as he did.  
  
“Oh my god,” Geoff laughed, “That’s hysterical!”  
  
Michael was wiping tears from his eyes as his laughter died down, “God, I haven’t thought of that in years,” Michael said, sniffing a bit.  
  
“I wish I’d had a dog,” Geoff said wistfully after a moment.  
  
Michael nodded solemnly, said nothing for a moment, and then leaned into Geoff’s shoulder a bit, “Maybe you should get one.”  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“I dunno. Big responsibility.” Michael said.  
  
_“You’re_ a big responsibility,” Geoff said, and put an arm around Michael’s shoulders, “I guess I’ll take you out on a run for a while before I go and get a dog.”  
  
“A puppy. You’d have to get a puppy,” Michael said.  
  
“You’ve got all the puppy-dog eyes I could possibly need, lover boy,” Geoff said.  
  
“Yeah, I guess I do,” Michael gushed, leaning over to kiss Geoff on the cheek.  
  
Michael leaned on Geoff and eased into his warmth, blinking longer and slower until his eyelids heavied and he drifted off into sleep. He hadn’t thought about New Jersey in a while, let alone his dog, his sisters, his parents. He supposed he hadn’t told Geoff much because he hadn’t wanted to remember, but there were good things too. That was a good thing, his sister yelling about fashion and her boyfriend, and his mom asking if the Farrah Fawcett poster was more than just a trendy actress in a red bikini.  
  
It wasn’t, of course, which was all the funnier as Michael covered his mouth to stifle his laughter from upstairs, petting the dog and resolving to stay away from the dirty magazines, if only to spare his mother and her sanity, or lack thereof. He tried to think of more funny stories from growing up to tell Geoff as he fell asleep, he just loved to hear Geoff laugh. It was trill and charmingly cavalier, and Michael would sink into it like a bee trapped in a damned honeypot.  
  
It was just that good.  
  
**  
  
“Oh, finally!” Jack said when Geoff and Michael pulled into the driveway, still dark out when they stepped out of the car.  
  
Michael wiped drowsiness out of his eyes and dragged his feet, walking up to Jack and resting his head on his shoulder. Geoff pulled bags from the trunk and Jack pointed him toward the front door. Jack followed after, guiding a sleep-addled Michael inside and up the stairs with a chuckle.  
  
“We took the scenic route,” Geoff whispered as Jack and Michael entered the master bedroom.  
  
“The scenic route?” Jack said with a laugh as Michael dropped himself face first onto the mattress with a tired groan.  
  
“Whatever, we got here!” Geoff whisper-yelled, setting the bags down and opening some dresser drawers haphazardly.  
  
“Like an hour after we did,” Jack said, starting to help Geoff unpack some of the bags.  
  
“I wanted some more time with just me and him,” Geoff said.  
  
“Fair enough,” Jack said, and went to unzip Geoff’s bag.  
  
Geoff glanced vaguely toward Jack, and then quickly back again, slamming the bag closed with his right hand. Jack looked at him in baffled confusion, and Geoff smiled sheepishly. Neither of them said anything for a second while Geoff held the bag closed.  
  
“Geoff?” Jack asked.  
  
“Yeah, Jack?” Geoff replied, shoulders tensed but a faux-casual smile on is face. Jack looked at him in question again, and Geoff just blinked at him blankly.  
  
“Any reason why you won’t let me open the bag?” Jack chuckled.  
  
“Nope.” Geoff said.  
  
“So, can I open it then?” Jack asked, and Geoff dragged the bag slowly away from him.  
  
“Nuh uh,” Geoff said.  
  
“Okay weirdo,” Jack said, standing up with his hands outstretched as if in surrender.  
  
“Some bags you just gotta unpack yourself, Jack,” Geoff said as Jack retreated from the room.  
  
“Whatever you say, Geoff,” Jack chuckled, and closed the door behind him.  
  
Geoff untensed and fell back on the carpeting with a low laugh, shaking his head to himself. He sat up and glanced at Michael’s sleeping form before opening the wretched bag, filled with neatly folded clothes, and Michael’s new collar- fuck, _choker-_ resting on top like a god damn tiara. Geoff let out another giggle, and picked it up, remembering his vague embarrassment in buying the damn thing, though he’d bought a few different ones before- just not with the same purpose in mind.  
  
He was somehow sure that the chick at the register knew what its end would be- if only because his eyes refused to meet hers and he slid the cash across the counter and took off without waiting to receive his change. He had shoved the opaque bag in his jacket pocket and it practically burned in his hand on his walk home. Though he did have an extra skip in his step.  
  
Geoff was glad Michael had liked it, even if he had seen it before Geoff could properly gift it to him.  
  
He dropped it daintily into the bottom drawer of the dresser and tossed the rest of his clothes in on top of it, closing each of the drawers softly as not to wake Michael. Then he stood and pulled his shirt over his head and stepped out of his shoes and jeans, and sat on the bed. He glanced at Michael, still-clothed and dead asleep already with his glasses askew on his face, and sighed with a smile.  
  
“Michael,” Geoff whispered, shaking Michael’s shoulder softly.  
  
“Mm?” Michael mumbled.  
  
“You’re not gonna be comfortable like that,” Geoff whispered as he plucked the glasses off of his face carefully, and Michael just groaned and turned his head the other way.  
  
“Babe,” Geoff implored, but Michael didn’t react. Geoff let out a chuckle and helped Michael sit up, even as he grumbled.  
  
“You’ll thank me later,” Geoff whispered, and made Michael hold his arms up so he could pull his shirt over his head. He pulled his shoes and socks off and tossed them on the ground, and then helped him out of his pants once he laid down again, likely already asleep.  
  
“Thank you,” Michael mumbled into the pillow, eyes closed as he settled against the mattress, allowing Geoff to pull the comforter over him.  
  
“You’re welcome,” Geoff said as he got under the covers with him, realizing all at once that this was the best fucking mattress that he’d ever laid in.  
  
_“Loveyou,”_ Michael mumbled, and Geoff went warm all over.  
  
“What?” Geoff whispered, leaning in closer and combing Michael’s hair out of his face.  
  
_“Mm,”_ Michael mumbled, and then he was out.  
  
Geoff smiled up at the ceiling, knowing that even if it didn’t count if Michael was barely conscious, that it was from the heart. How did anyone sleep when they were in love? Geoff thought this and it rolled over and over in his mind, clouding over, and his whole body relaxed. He cuddled closer to Michael, let out a slow breath, and sleep pulled at ribbons of him until he had unfurled, completely asleep.  
  
**  
  
Michael woke up without an alarm for the first time in what had felt like forever. The darkness of the room had slowly shifted overnight until Michael was seeing pink instead of black behind his eyelids. He blinked his eyes open slowly and sat up, rubbing his eyes drearily and grabbing for his glasses.  
  
“Holy fuck,” Michael whispered, and stood to walk toward the glass pane doors that sealed them in from the outside. Michael adjusted his glasses as he looked out at the view- and holy shit was it a view. The sun was just making its trek up the skyway, making everything a lush pink, and the ocean- fuck, the ocean. It was lavender under the rose sky, and Michael was taken aback by the brightness of color. He wondered how anything could look so warm and welcoming on the cusp of winter.  
  
He clicked the lock of the door open, letting in a cool gust of wind, and stepped outside onto the balcony. The sound of seagulls like a soothing wake-up call wound around his head, the smell of saltwater and beach waves heady to the senses. Michael leaned against the banister for only a moment before he turned to get Geoff, who had of course already awakened and wandered toward the balcony, hair a lovely mess and eyes seeming as untired as ever.  
  
“You seeing this?” Michael asked, gesturing to the picturesque highway of sky and sea.  
  
Geoff wrapped his arms around Michael from behind, sharing that particular post sleep skin-warmth between them. Michael held on to his arms as he stared in awe at the place, and Geoff smiled down at him, kissed at his temple and held him tighter to his chest.  
  
“I was a little distracted, but yeah, beach’s uh- beach’s cool or whatever,” Geoff said, voice sleepy still.  
  
“Shut up, I’m serious. What the fuck,” Michael said quietly.  
  
“I’m serious too,” Geoff murmured.  
  
Michael shook his head and turned in Geoff’s embrace, looping his arms around his neck and tip-toeing slightly to kiss him. Geoff breathed in the scent of the ocean, and how it mingled with the smell of Michael’s shampoo- something, something strawberry maybe.  
  
Michael bit at his lower lip and yanked Geoff from his thoughts, anchoring him against the banister where their waists pressed together. Michael sighed against him, nosed against his cheekbone and looked up at Geoff just as the light created a triangle of gleam in his eyes.  
  
“So, what-,”  
  
“GOOD MORNING BOYS- please don’t be naked- JACK’S MADE BREAKFAST!” Gavin squawked as he swung the door open so hard that is slammed against the wall and startled Geoff and Michael into knocking their foreheads together.  
  
“Ow,” Michael chuckled.  
  
“Oh for _fuck’s sake,_ Gavin, you jackass!” Geoff hollered, turning to walk back into the bedroom.  
  
“What, I’m just trying to say there’s breakfast- hi there Michael,” Gavin said, leaning around Geoff to waggle his fingers at Michael who rolled his eyes with a small laugh.  
  
“Don’t you come in here with your _“oh-doh, hi my-cool!”_ you idiot,” Geoff said and Gavin pouted.  
  
“I don’t bloody sound like that!” Gavin yelled.  
  
Michael cackled from where he was opening the dresser drawers to pull out some clothes, “You kinda do, Gavin.”  
  
“Michael!” Gavin cried, crossing his arms, “I am hurt! I- oh never mind, your arse is lovely in those-,”  
  
“GET OUT,” Geoff yelled, voice cracking as he shoved Gavin out the door and slammed it behind him.  
  
Michael chuckled as he pulled on a pair of pants, “Calm down Geoff, we got a whole week ahead of us.”  
  
“Fuck me,” Geoff groaned, and opened his drawer to pull out a shirt.  
  
Michael waggled his eyebrows and pulled the choker out of Geoff’s drawer from where it was peeking out from under a t-shirt, “Can do, just say the word.” He twirled the choker around his finger like a hula-hoop and flung it at Geoff.  
  
“Michael, please, we’ve been invited to breakfast with Will’s one-through-four and Grace,” Geoff said, chuckling at his own joke and gesturing downstairs as he attempted to catch the choker.  
  
“So what? Call it- alternative breakfast-wear.” Michael said with a shrug.  
  
“It’s already alternative bedroom-wear, let alone alternative-wear altogether! Now you’re just pushing the lines all over the place!” Geoff laughed.  
  
“Lines are boring!” Michael yelled as he pulled on a shirt.  
  
“Boring is great! What’s wrong with boring!? We spent the whole beginning of the relationship un-boring, let’s be boring, let’s be an old married couple who does the crossword and sudoku or whatever!” Geoff yelled, sitting down to pull on some pants.  
  
“Well! That’s fair,” Michael chuckled, but then held up a finger, “But we’ll see about this later.”  
  
“Later. Breakfast now?” Geoff asked, standing and holding out his hand for Michael to take.  
  
Michael smiled cheerily, took Geoff’s hand, and let him lead him down the stairs, where they were met by their friends in pajamas lounging around the living room while Ryan and Jack put plates of bacon, eggs, and pancakes out on the coffee table.  
  
“C’mon guys, grab a plate,” Ryan said, and the guys grumbled in acknowledgement, rolling off of the couch to head to the table.  
  
Michael and Geoff sat, and everyone served themselves, quiet hum of the morning becoming audible conversation of fighting over the orange juice and tossing the bottle of syrup across the table like a football. The sound of the room could be the filler noise of the background of a diner at morning, if the diner was filled with ambiguously queer men and right by the ocean. It was simultaneously the clink and clang of utensils against glassware, and the cawing sounds of seagulls outside above the ocean, intermingling with low voices and high laughter.  
  
“What time did you guys end up getting in?” Ryan asked through a mouthful of pancakes, gesturing his syrupy fork between Geoff and Michael.  
  
“I dunno. Late.” Geoff said with a shrug, glancing at Michael who also shrugged.  
  
“It was like after two-ish,” Jack said.  
  
“Jesus, Geoff, what- did you detour to Louisiana?” Ryan laughed out.  
  
“Ha-ha, no we uh- we took the scenic route,” Geoff stuttered, and Michael tittered over his eggs until Geoff elbowed him lightly.  
  
Ryan eyed them suspiciously, “The scenic route?”  
  
“Yeah, yeah the scenic route, you know- big trees or whatever,” Geoff said raising his arms up to mimic the height of the trees.  
  
“Mhm…” Ryan hummed, picking at his eggs and chewing slowly.  
  
“They fucked in your car,” Ray said.  
  
“Shut up,” Geoff said, then turned to Ryan again, “We didn’t fuck in your car Ryan- I’d tell you if we fucked in your car.”  
  
“He’d rub it in your face,” Gavin added with a helpful grin.  
  
“Gladly,” Geoff said, and the room was again filled with clanking silverware.  
  
Michael shrugged his shoulders and smirked, “We might’ve done _other_ things Ryan, you never know-,”  
  
Ryan slammed his fork down, “God _damn_ it, Geoff!”  
  
“Aw, Michael!” Geoff yelled.  
  
“What, I just thought I should be honest! We’re all friends!” Michael laughed, voice low like he wasn’t embarrassed at all.  
  
“I didn’t do anything, it was all this one!” Geoff said elbowing Michael again.  
  
Michael chuckled, “It takes two to tango, Ramsey.”  
  
“Oh, shut up both of you. Animals,” Ryan said, flicking a piece of bacon at Geoff.  
  
“Real mature Ryan-,” Geoff said, and tossed a bigger piece of bacon back at him, missing and instead hitting Jeremy who frowned and grabbed a soppy piece of pancake to toss, ricocheting off of Ray and landing on Jack.  
  
“No guys, come on,” Gavin started, but they had all already locked eyes.  
  
“God, fuck, _damn it!”_ Jack yelled as it became a free-for-all, screaming and yelling as breakfast food was tossed back and forth ruining clean clothes and pajamas and getting hair sticky and gross.  
  
_“AGH, NO!”_ Gavin yelled while he was pelted with eggs by Ray, falling to the ground as Jeremy emptied a bottle of syrup over his chest.  
  
“HA HA HA AHHH,” Michael laughed maniacally as he tossed half-eaten pancakes like frisbees, nailing Ryan on the forehead and getting his hair sticky just before Jack smushed eggs directly onto his face.  
  
“AAHH!” Geoff yelled in retribution and emptied a full plate of food down the back of Jack’s shirt, laughing heartily.  
  
“No, Geoff! Oh god, no!” Jack yelled until Ryan aimed a syrup bottle at Geoff like a watergun, hitting him on the chest until it seeped through his shirt.  
  
It was a warzone, Michael and Jeremy had climbed onto the table standing back to back as they hurled fistfuls of scrambled eggs at everyone, Ray laughed from the sidelines while Gavin was screaming in horror from under the table all the while as Geoff, Ryan, and Jack joined forces against Michael and Jeremy in a battle of _Who the Fuck Will Run Out of Food First?_  
  
Michael and Jeremy won in seconds, because the table was their territory, and it was the most littered with food that should’ve been eaten in a lovely breakfast, but was instead wrongly utilized for this savagery. Michael and Jeremy cheered and yelled, even bumped sticky chests before Jack spoke up.  
  
“Don’t- don’t jump on the table guys, please,” Jack chuckled, and so they stepped off the table and basked in the sticky remnants of their victory.  
  
“Is it over?” Gavin squeaked as he crawled through the mess to get out from underneath the table, making a horrified face at all stickiness that had coated his arms as a result.  
  
“Nope,” Geoff said, and poured the last of a near-empty syrup bottle over Gavin’s head, “Okay, now it is.”  
  
Gavin wailed and stood up, shaking to get the crumbs and bits off. Michael snickered as he pulled a full piece of bacon out of Gavin’s hair and dropped it on the floor. Geoff eyed Michael and then went up to hug him, pressing his syrupy chest to Michael’s face as Michael yelled out, _“GEOFF NO! STOP! AAGH!”_ to no avail.  
  
“God, what a mess. Thanks a lot Ryan,” Jack said, and Ryan scoffed.  
  
“Me!? Thank them for fucking in my car!” Ryan yelled, pointing to Michael and Geoff.  
  
“It was just a blowjob, calm down,” Michael muttered into Geoff’s chest and there was a sounding off of laughter and groans, and Michael heard someone give Geoff a sticky high five.  
  
“Didn’t need to know, Michael, didn’t need to at all,” Ryan said.  
  
“What! I swallowed! Didn’t let it get all over the place!” Michael laughed as he extricated himself from Geoff’s hug, earning another roomful of groans, “Wah-wah, you should be _thanking_ me!”  
  
_“Thanking_ you!?” Ryan yelled.  
  
“Yeah! In the ruling of whether or not we should have sex in your car, I said no! Now I’m thinking, for this amount of grief we should’ve just had sex anyway!” Michael laughed, turning to Geoff who shrugged.  
  
“They have a point there Ryan,” Ray said, and Jeremy gestured for him to shut up.  
  
“I-!” Ryan let out a slow breath, and then said through gritted teeth, “Thank you, Michael, for not getting Geoff’s spunk all over my car.”  
  
“Now _that’s_ what I like to hear, bring it in buddy,” Michael said, and pulled Ryan into a sticky hug, which turned into a group sticky hug, which was a huge mistake for everyone involved. Obviously.  
  
“I hate you all. I’m driving my own car home.” Ryan said.  
  
“We love you too Ryan,” Jack chuckled.  
  
They separated, and Jack left only to return with cleaning supplies, so they all lent a hand in cleaning up the room as much as their dirtied bodies would allow them. Eventually, the room was mostly clean, a lot faster than expected. The only downside was that they couldn’t yet sit and bask in the cleanliness, because they were all filthy and standing on towels that Jack put down.  
  
“Alright, who gets first dibs on shower?” Ray asked.  
  
“Obviously, the first person to say dibs has dibs,” Gavin said.  
  
“Dibs,” Ryan said immediately, cutting off both Gavin and Jeremy.  
  
“I don’t know about you guys, but uh, there’s a whole entire ocean outside, and I’m gonna have to shower after I get out of it anyway,” Geoff said, gesturing over his shoulder to the door that led directly to the beach.  
  
“That sounds doable, I’m gonna do that one instead of standing on a towel until I can take a shower.” Michael said.  
  
“Wouldn’t that just make you _more_ sticky?” Jeremy said, scrunching up his face at the thought.  
  
“I’m with Jeremy that sounds like you’re gonna get more sticky,” Gavin said.  
  
“Would you rather be standing-around-for-six-showers-covered-in-syrup sticky, or syrup-then-ocean-water sticky?” Michael asked, and the room paused to think.  
  
“Alright, I’m going to the water with y’all,” Jack said.  
  
“More shower time for me,” Ray shrugged.  
  
“And me,” Ryan added, and they all just kind of looked at each other.  
  
“Aaaannd, break! Go teams!” Gavin yelled, and they all chuckled and got moving.  
  
But once everyone was supposed to go their separate ways, they still all ended up finding themselves covered in syrup and standing on the soft sand of the beach.  
  
“I thought showers were the way to go?” Geoff said as he shed his shirt and pants and the rest of the guys did the same.  
  
“This seemed more fun,” Ryan said with a shrug.  
  
“Truce?” Michael asked with those god damn puppy dog eyes, and Ryan rolled his eyes.  
  
“For now.”  
  
“RACE YA!” Jeremy yelled and flew past them, setting them all off to start running toward the water.  
  
Geoff was right, the temperature outside would be a summer day anywhere up north, a nice breeze, the sun was bright and hot above them, not a single cloud in the sky. The beach was completely abandoned for miles on either side, not even a wild umbrella left from some party from the school year celebrating some meaningless event or another. It was nice. A perfect summer’s day, really. Unfortunately, the ocean didn’t get the memo about the whole _summer in November_ thing, and was pretty fucking cold, as they immediately found out.  
  
_“OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD!”_  
  
_“GOD, SAVE US ALL!”_  
  
_“EMBRACE IT, YOU GOTTA EMBRACE IT! GET YOUR HAIR WET!”_  
  
_“I- AAAAAAH! AGHH!”_  
  
_“TRUCE IS FUCKING CANCELED!”_  
  
They toughed it out, and after a while it didn’t feel so cold anyway, but maybe it was because they had gone mostly numb and were just floating near each other and screaming whenever they thought their foot touched a jellyfish. It was always seaweed.  
  
Michael held tight to Geoff as they floated around, glasses splattered with drying sea water as they rubbed absently at each other wherever syrup had landed. That familiar skin-warmth encompassed them, and they held hands while the boys splashed water at each other and laughed and joked around. Even when the water droplets landed on their faces where they were only slightly separated from the guys, it still felt like this was good. All of it. Them all being together on what was supposed to be a romantic getaway for two, the food fight, the cold water, the bright beaming sun shining down on them.  
  
It was looking like it was gonna be a good vacation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY ! if ur thinking 'holy shit that was longer than usual i think' ur fucking right!!!!!!!
> 
> these next chapters might be longer depending on how this sits with me! that's cool! i hope! i want to be able to let them have a larger flow like you see here with more things kind of looping back around and other writer-type bullshit!!!!
> 
> let me know what you think in the comments!!! and give a lovely little kudos if you haven't already!! ♥


	21. Chapter 21

It had only been a day and Geoff was already mapping out where he would hide the bodies of his friends for just a second of peace and quiet. They had spent all day romping around on the beach, but the sun had gone down by now, leaving in its wake a chill that didn't mix well with wet hair and damp skin still tacky here and there from stubborn syrup. Geoff and Michael were looking forward to crashing on their cushy mattress and then actually getting into the swing of things come morning. They shared tired kisses as they stripped, feeling a strange domesticity as they sunk into the silky sheets, static making the hairs on their arms raise. The warmth of rest that came after a long day of swimming in cool water was hard to recreate, luckily, they didn’t have to as they closed their eyes.  
  
The guys, however, had a few more hours of sleep on their side, and with it a few more hours of energy. They were watching a movie or playing a game or something that had their yelling and laughing echoing throughout the house, leaving both Geoff and Michael restless and annoyed. Geoff stared at the ceiling and considered whether or not shallow beach graves were disrespectful of the boys' memory just as Michael turned over with a groan and rested his head on his chest.  
  
"Make it _stop,"_  
  
Geoff ran his fingers through Michael's hair with a slow breath, "Say the word and I'll kick your friends right out of our beach house."  
  
"They're _your_ friends," Michael mumbled into the warmth of Geoff's chest.  
  
"Nuh uh, not when they're this fucking annoying they're not." Geoff said, his fingers pausing their movement in Michael's hair.  
  
Michael pouted and scooted up Geoff's body until he could reach his face with a slow kiss. Geoff rolled his eyes, and Michael batted his eyelashes at him with a dopey love-lorn look on his face. Geoff put a hand on Michael's face and shoved him away with a chuckle while Michael whined.  
  
"C'mon Geoff, just tell them to keep it down," Michael frowned.  
  
"Why do I have to do it?" Geoff replied, meeting Michael's gaze with a raised brow.  
  
Michael's face melted into an easy smile, "Because you'd do anything for me as long as I'm _good,"_ he stretched out the word 'good' until it tugged at something in the pit of Geoff's stomach, slingshotting to a knot in his throat when Michael started kissing down the line of his collarbone.  
  
"You can't use sex against me, that's- how am I supposed to compete with that?" Geoff protested, despite having already decided to do what Michael wanted.  
  
"You don't," Michael smirked and then started to shove Geoff out from under the covers.  
  
"You know what Michael?" Geoff started, a laugh bubbling just behind his tongue, "You- you're damn lucky you're so cute," he laughed out as he sat on the side of the bed to pull on some pants.  
  
"Aw Geoff, you're pretty too, babe," Michael said, winking for good measure.  
  
"Mhm," Geoff said with a blushy smile and leaned over to kiss Michael quickly before he left.  
  
Geoff trudged down the last few steps with his hands on his hips and just stared at the guys when he got to the foot of the stairs. They barely noticed him as they were in the middle of watching Gavin struggle against a bottle of Crystal Pepsi that Ryan was forcibly holding to his mouth while everyone else chanted, _"CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!"_ Geoff shook his head in amused annoyance as the guys cheered at the volume of the bottle slowly going down. The liquid dribbled out of the corners of Gavin's mouth while he tried to tell the guys Geoff was standing behind them, all to no avail. Geoff, not for the first time, wondered what the fuck his life had become as he leaned over and pushed the coffee table book onto the hardwood floors with a loud slamming sound.  
  
It had the immediate and satisfying effect of making everyone jump- including Ryan, who lost his grip on the bottle and left it pouring down Gavin's shirt.  
  
"RYAN, WHY!?" Gavin sputtered through a mouthful of soda.  
  
Ryan just shrugged and nodded at Geoff in question while Gavin continued to groan at the mess he was in, forcing a breathy laugh out of Jeremy. Geoff looked at each of them one by one and then scratched his fingers through his already-sleep-mussed hair.  
  
"You guys- you are single-handedly ruining my relationship," Geoff said.  
  
"Sorry Geoff," Jack chuckled.  
  
"I mean just-," Geoff gestured lowering the volume with his hand, "just for tonight, we just didn't get that much sleep last night."  
  
"Well, how is that our fault?" Gavin spoke up, having just abandoned the wet shirt completely.  
  
Geoff blinked, "Listen dumbass, I don't care if it's fucking OJ Simpson's fault, but if the glove fucking fits-,"  
  
"You don't-a _quit_ yelling at us?" Jeremy answered, and Geoff clapped him on the shoulder gratefully as the guys moaned at the bad joke.  
  
"What he said." Geoff continued.  
  
"Wait- so are _you_ Nicole Brown or is your _relationship_ Nicole Brown?" Ray asked, looking around innocently as the guys shook their heads at him with partly-stifled laughter. "What. Genuine question."  
  
"Here's a genuine answer- shut the fuck up." Geoff said, and the guys chuckled.  
  
"Wow, glad we're all so comfortable around each other already." Ray said, crossing his arms.  
  
"Me too." Geoff said with a sly smile. He glanced at the guys once more, clapped his hands together and then gestured upstairs, "Goodnight bitches."  
  
They all grumbled in reply, and Geoff was glad for their hushed voices as he ascended the stairs two at a time, tired in that specific way that the beach made you. He slid into bed quietly next to Michael’s unmoving form, already sinking his mind into the comfort of a refreshed beach day tomorrow, happy to take full advantage of the November weather that felt like May.  
  
Just as he began to drift off, he was startled by a warm hand soothing up and down his chest. Geoff hummed at the comforting gesture of it, until Michael’s hand strafed lower and lower, grazing his dick and slowly waking Geoff up.  
  
“I thought we were sleeping,” Geoff mumbled, eyes half-open.  
  
“We can sleep,” Michael said teasingly, palming over Geoff’s cock in earnest now, “but I can think of something better.”  
  
“Alright,” Geoff chuckled, miming getting out of bed, “I’ll go rev up Ryan’s car.”  
  
Michael cackled and dragged Geoff back into bed, kissing him through laughter as they tumbled around the bed. Geoff’s thighs bracketed Michael’s and he pressed down into him, pulling a sharp breath from Michael.  
  
“Don’t tease me Geoff, I don’t _actually_ wanna fall asleep during sex,” Michael moaned as Geoff grinded their hips together again.  
  
“I can keep you awake, if we make it a little-,” Geoff ducked down and opened a nightstand drawer, coming up with the choker, “interesting.”  
  
Michael swallowed, mouth dry suddenly, “O-kay, yeah. Yeah.”  
  
“You sure?” Geoff said, sitting up on Michael’s hips and unsnapping the button clasp on it so that it hung open.  
  
Michael’s eyes traced the black leather of it, licking his bottom lip idly and reaching out to touch the heart-shaped ring, cool to the touch. “Yes.” His cock twitched in his underwear when Geoff pressed the choker into his grasp.  
  
“Take a look at it. Snaps apart easy when you want it to,” Geoff said quietly, fingers tracing mindless patterns on Michael’s chest as he slowly moved his hips against Michael. Michael snapped it open and closed, biting his lip as he counted the notches, how tight it could go.  
  
“You want me to put it on you, baby?” Geoff said, warm hands bracketing Michael’s ribcage while his thumbs rubbed his nipples, almost an afterthought.  
  
_“Yes daddy,”_ Michael whispered, voice off just by a bit, like he was somewhere else.  
  
Geoff took the choker from Michael’s hands gently, and leaned down to kiss the center of his chest, slowly going upwards as he pressed the choker around Michael’s neck. He kissed at the line between Michael’s jaw and neck as he snapped it into place and then pulled back.  
  
“Good?” Geoff asked, eyes tracing Michael’s face.  
  
Michael shook his head.  
  
“No? I’ll take it off-,” Geoff said, hand going to the choker again until Michael shook his head again and stopped Geoff’s hand.  
  
“I uh- tighter. One more.” Michael said, clearing his throat a little bit.  
  
Geoff blinked and shifted his hips against Michael’s, feeling his length slide against Michael’s hipbone, “Yeah?”  
  
“Please?” Michael asked, voice that same breathiness as he blinked up at Geoff.  
  
“Okay, okay,” Geoff said, tightening the clasp by one notch and watching the flush wash over Michael’s cheeks when he felt the leather snug against his neck as he took in a slow breath.  
  
“Better?” Geoff asked, and Michael nodded with his eyes closed for a second before responding.  
  
“Perfect.” Michael said.  
  
Geoff smiled and leaned down to kiss him, noticing the harsh breaths Michael took in through his nose as he licked into his mouth, pulling away every now and then to give Michael room to breathe through his mouth. He bit at Michael’s lip once and then nipped down his jawline as Michael caught his breath.  
  
Geoff kissed a mark onto Michael’s neck, just above the choker, and then pulled away, “I need you to tell me if you want it off,” Geoff said against his neck, and Michael nodded.  
  
“You can take it off, obviously, but if you _can’t_ just pinch me in the side, okay?” Geoff said, holding Michael’s face between his hands to assure he had his attention.  
  
“Okay.” Michael said, and Geoff kissed his forehead. “I love when you take care of me.” Michael said a little more quietly this time.  
  
Geoff smiled and kissed him, nosing up his cheekbone and pressing his forehead to Michael’s temple, “I love to do it, baby.”  
  
Geoff’s hands rubbed down Michael’s arms and then grabbed his wrists, pulling them up so Michael was holding onto the metal railing of the headboard. Geoff then slid down Michael’s body, purposely ignoring Michael’s hard cock as his hands gripped his milky thighs for a second before pulling Michael’s boxer briefs off and out of the way.  
  
Michael whined until Geoff pressed his thighs apart, kissing a line down his right inner thigh until he was kissing over Michael’s hole, pulling a tight gasp from Michael as he did. Geoff hummed in pleasure and pressed Michael’s thighs open and up further as he licked into his hole, teasing around the rim and then licking in further.  
  
“Fuck, ah- _daddy,_ please-,” Michael whimpered, hands wringing the railings as he pressed his hips down.  
  
Geoff pressed in eagerly, licking Michael’s hole open wet and messy as his hands kneaded Michael’s thighs. Michael thrashed beneath him, whimpering needy and breathless as Geoff took him apart, humming as he did. Michael pulled one hand away from the railing to tangle into Geoff’s hair and press him closer, eliciting a chuckle from Geoff who pulled away to snatch Michael’s hand.  
  
“Ah-ah-ah,” Geoff warned with a chuckle, and then sucked two of Michael’s fingers into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the digits messily.  
  
_“Please- daddy-_ fuck me, I-,” Michael whined, breath coming short against the choker.  
  
Geoff pulled off of Michael’s fingers with a _pop_ and hummed in laughter, “A little eager, are we?”  
  
“A lot- _a lot-_ please, I need you inside me _so fucking bad,”_ Michael whined, curling his free hand under Geoff’s chin and locking his legs around Geoff’s waist to pull him in.  
  
“Hold on, sweetheart,” Geoff said, reaching into the nightstand drawer for the lube and a condom.  
  
He lubed up his fingers and pressed into Michael who gasped, made difficult by the press of the choker against his throat. His cheeks heated as he felt the struggle to pull in another breath, his slight lightheadedness adding a zinging pleasure up his spine as Geoff stretched him open, scissoring his fingers inside him.  
  
“I’m ready- I’m- fuck me, c’mon _fuck me,”_ Michael gasped out, throat pressing against the hold of the choker tightly as he took in a bigger breath.  
  
Geoff pressed his fingers in, finding that sweet spot inside Michael and rubbing over it, “Try again.”  
  
Michael trembled beneath Geoff, swallowing as his firm words took hold of him. He took in a slow breath as Geoff continued rubbing over his prostate, “Please- _please_ fuck me, daddy,”  
  
“Is that all?” Geoff asked, his free hand rubbing soothing circles over Michael’s chest, grazing his hard nipples as if by accident.  
  
“Fuck me hard, I want you to fuck me so- _so hard_ please daddy I-,” Michael breathed out, his neglected cock twitching as Geoff pressed against his prostate again.  
  
“That’s better,” Geoff said, pulling his fingers out of Michael and wiping them on the sheets. He rid himself of his underwear and jerked his cock a bit, moaning low in his throat before sliding the condom on and lubing himself up.  
  
“This what you want?” Geoff said as he jerked himself a bit, moving closer to Michael on the bed as he bit his lip.  
  
“Mhm,” Michael whined, nodding.  
  
Geoff guided his cock into Michael’s hole, slowly as Michael let out a low whine. He pressed his heels into Geoff’s thighs to pull him closer, until Geoff was pressed all the way in.  
  
“Fuck, oh god, you’re so deep- god,” Michael groaned, eyes shut as he adjusted to the length.  
  
Geoff’s hands traveled up from Michael’s hips and then to his neck, fingers tracing the edges of the choker as he breathed heavily, the heat and tightness of Michael around him intoxicating. Michael pulled him in for a kiss, biting at his lip and sucking Geoff’s tongue into his mouth greedily.  
  
He pulled away for a gasp of air, then pulled Geoff’s hand to the choker, nodding once and then saying, “Fuck me, hard, _please,”_  
  
Geoff’s hand grazed Michael’s neck, going around back until he could fit his fingers into the slight gap at the back of the choker, tugging until it went taut against Michael’s neck.  
  
“That what you want?” Geoff asked.  
  
“Yeah,” Michael said.  
  
Geoff nodded once and then pulled his hips away, and then slammed forward. He watched Michael’s expression, mouth hanging open as he moaned. He gasped in another breath and Geoff took the following nod as the go ahead, finding his pace as he thrusted into Michael again and again.  
  
“Oh, _fuck, oh daddy, ah-,”_ Michael gasped out, hands tight on the railings above his head. His thighs trembled around Geoff’s waist, and his vision was slowly going fuzzy around the edges as every thrust felt like ten times the pleasure, going straight to his senses.  
  
_“God, you’re perfect you’re perfect,”_ Geoff moaned, kissing around the choker and tasting the tang of leather on his tongue, feeling even more turned on as he bit at it, biting again at Michael’s neck as he tugged the choker further back.  
  
Geoff was slamming into Michael, suddenly putting his hands back on Michael’s thighs and hauling them upward, changing the angle so that he was hitting Michael’s prostate with every thrust.  
  
“FUCK! Oh my god, oh my god- I-," Michael cried out, breaking into a whine.  
  
Geoff groaned out, earthy and heavy in his chest, thrusting harder into Michael as Michael’s cock started to leak steadily, pulling a raspy breath from him.  
  
“Geoff,” Michael breathed out, vision all stars now as he approached the edge, “Daddy, _daddy_ I’m-,” he gasped another breath, “I’m- _coming-!”_  
  
Michael came, spilling over his abdomen messy and sticky feeling a weighty euphoria settle over him, heated cheeks feeling like fire as he gasped another breath, tears streaming down the sides of his face. _“Fuck!”_ Geoff came with a shout, pressing his forehead into Michael’s neck and gasping in heavy breaths, coming to quickly to unsnap the choker from around Michael’s neck.  
  
Michael took in a long breath and grinned, feeling altogether _there_ with Geoff in the bed by the beach and simultaneously somewhere else, like an unfocused dot between this and that. The choker fell from his neck onto the sheets between them, and Geoff cradled Michael’s face between his hands carefully.  
  
“How are you, are you okay?” Geoff asked, thumbing Michael’s bottom lip until he focused on Geoff’s face all at once.  
  
Geoff’s voice washed over Michael like a song, or something like a song, maybe several songs as Geoff seemed larger than life as he hovered over him. “Hm? Mhm. Yeah- okay.”  
  
Geoff chuckled a little as he tied off the condom, tossed it in the direction of a trash can, and put away the choker and lube, “Just okay, then?”  
  
“Great. The best,” Michael hummed, his voice falling back into its typical intonation, pressing his forehead against Geoff’s, “God, you’re beautiful. You fuck me so good.”  
  
“Aw shucks,” Geoff chuckled, letting his nose follow the line of Michael’s until he leaned down to kiss him, “You did so good for me, baby.”  
  
“Good for you,” Michael murmured, rubbing his cheek against Geoff’s stubbled jawline and humming in comfort, “Love to be good for you.”  
  
“You’re always good for me,” Geoff said, kissing Michael’s temple and then falling beside him on the bed. Geoff pulled Michael until he went willingly to rest on Geoff’s chest, already half asleep and fully sated. Geoff rubbed over his back soothingly until they both fell asleep, sea warm and day tired.  
  
**  
  
Geoff stumbled out of bed in the morning, still feeling the edges of a work schedule as he stumbled down the stairs a tad earlier than he would’ve liked to. He left Michael sleeping, but was sure his absence would send Michael down the stairs momentarily. He nodded at Ryan as he poured himself a bowl of cereal, Ryan smiled with a twinkle of amusement and took his own bowl with him to the living room, where those who were awake were watching _Johnny Bravo._  
  
“Nice,” Geoff said, and settled on the couch beside Jack who nodded at him as he arrived. Jack and Ryan shared a look, that turned into a look that was shared with Jeremy, but Geoff took no notice of it as he chuckled at the cartoon.  
  
Soon _Johnny Bravo_ became _Pinky and the Brain,_ and Michael stumbled down the stairs to the kitchen, grumbling a half-formed _good morning_ as he poured himself a bowl of cereal as well. Gavin and Ray stumbled down after him, forgoing cereal for cartoons and sitting on the carpet with Jeremy while Jack, Ryan, and Geoff shared the couch.  
  
Michael finally joined them, taking the empty armchair for himself and digging into his Cinnamon Toast Crunch. He glanced up with a grumble, “Why don’t we have Cocoa Puffs?” he said through a mouthful of cereal.  
  
Jack turned to answer him, and then shut his mouth, quickly turning back to the TV. Ryan glanced over and blinked at the TV, watching as everyone quietly reacted to what they were seeing, right up until Gavin looked up.  
  
“Christ!” Gavin squawked, “Michael! Your neck-!” was about as far as he got before Jeremy shoved him to shut him up.  
  
“What?” Michael asked, trying and failing to look at his neck, pulling Geoff’s attention as well.  
  
Geoff’s spoon clattered into his bowl as he saw what the guys where getting at. Michael’s neck was bruised a harsh pink, and not just with kiss marks. No, it was a near-perfect imprint of the collar- _choker-_ down to the heart clear and present on the front of his throat.  
  
“Oh. Michael.” Geoff said, face spelling yikes. Michael stared at Geoff in question as well as the rest of the guys who were sputtering back laughter. Michael ran upstairs to the bathroom, prompting the guys to lose their shit laughing until Michael slowly and embarrassedly descended the stairs, blushing.  
  
“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up assholes,” Michael said.  
  
“Michael, what the fuck _is_ that?” Jeremy laughed out, walking closer to get a good look.  
  
“Nothing.” Michael shrugged.  
  
“Please, we _all_ heard you last night,” Ryan said.  
  
“Your point?” Geoff asked.  
  
“My guess,” Ryan addressed the rest of the guys, “is that _“daddy”_ here has a cute little collar for this one.” he gestured to Michael.  
  
The guys burst into another bout of laughter while Michael crossed the room to reach Ryan. He laughed along, nodding until he reached him, and then tipped Ryan’s entire bowl of soggy cereal and leftover milk into his lap.  
  
Ryan stood immediately, the mess trailing down his pajamas, “What the fuck!”  
  
“Are _you_ fucking Geoff?” Michael asked, and the guys let out a chorus of _ooh’s._  
  
“I mean, no-,”  
  
“Then maybe don’t call him daddy. Just a thought.” Michael said with a shrug, easy as anything.  
  
Geoff raised his eyebrows as a pink flush settled high on his cheeks, the guys a mix of laughter and teasing Ryan. Michael shrugged brashly and settled in Geoff’s lap, where Geoff inspected the pink bruising of the perfectly shaped heart on Michael’s neck, stark against the gorgeous pallor of his skin.  
  
“Sorry,” Geoff whispered.  
  
“Don’t be,” Michael said, and stole a spoonful of Geoff’s cereal, “I like it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm v late and very !!!!!!!!!!! something!
> 
> in any case, i hope y'all like this one! sorry for being heavily inconsistent and stuff!  
> as always leave kudos if you haven't already and let me know what you think in the comments!♥


	22. Chapter 22

The warm rays of the sun lay over Michael’s body like a blanket where he lay on his borrowed towel in the sand. Geoff had insisted on rubbing him down with just this side of way too much sunscreen, though Michael tried to tell him he’d burn regardless. So he was sticky but comfortable despite the sun probably trying to skin him alive, waiting till he was a bit drier before he joined the boys in the water again. Besides that, it wasn’t so bad just laying in the sun for a change. Felt like he had no worries.  
  
His eyes blinked open when a warm press to his neck brought his senses to the forefront of his mind. He was met with Gavin’s smirk and glinting eyes to match, touching what Michael assumed was the lovely keepsake bruise that Geoff had left him.  
  
Michael raised a hand to shield his eyes from the sun and chuckled a bit as he got an eyeful of Gavin leaning over him, “Uh, can I help you?”  
  
“Does it hurt, that?” Gavin asked, tracing still the contours of the bruise.  
  
Michael licked his lip idly and nodded while he took in the miles of stupidly tan skin that Gavin had. Unexpectedly hairy, yeah, but he tanned like no other- Michael hadn’t even seen the bastard put on sunscreen. He was a little jealous.  
  
“Yeah- well, yeah when you’re fuckin’ poking at it and shit,” Michael said and swatted Gavin’s hand away.  
  
Gavin chuckled and dropped his hand to support him in the sand while he leaned back, handing Michael a beer from the two that he’d settled between his legs. Michael took it gladly and rolled his eyes at Gavin positively basking in the sun like a god damn asshole. His skin was glowing. Fucker.  
  
Gavin was sitting the opposite way that Michael was, so they were facing each other as Michael sat up on his elbows a bit. Gavin played with the hot sand idly and poured a handful over Michael’s thigh for the hell of it. It felt kind of nice, so Michael let it happen.  
  
“So choking, yeah?” Gavin asked after a sip of beer, and Michael spluttered for a second in the face of Gavin’s clear intent to make him uncomfortable.  
  
“Uh- yeah. Choking,” Michael stuttered, glancing toward Geoff in the waves, who hadn’t yet noticed Gavin and Michael talking.  
  
“That more for you or for Geoff?” Gavin asked, still pouring sand over Michael’s legs prickling pinpricks of heat up his skin.  
  
Michael took a breath and decided that this was just a conversation he was having, and he should try to do more than just stutter around it and blush. He took a sip of beer, “Is this just what you do?”  
  
“What’s that?” Gavin asked, a hint of amusement shading his face.  
  
“Just like, poke at people for fun,” Michael said, pressing the lip of his beer to his mouth.  
  
“A little maybe, yeah. Just wanna get to know ya,” Gavin responded.  
  
Michael nodded like everything suddenly made sense with a chuckle, “Mm, so the choking thing offers a lot of insight there?”  
  
“Doesn’t hurt to ask,” Gavin said with a shrug, mouth on the verge of a laugh.  
  
Michael pursed his lips for a moment, leaving him on the edge before finally saying, “We both like it.”  
  
Gavin made an interested face to himself, and looked up with renewed interest with, “And the collar-?” until Michael interrupted him.  
  
“Do _you_ like it. Being choked?” Michael asked, catching Gavin off guard.  
  
Gavin barked out a laugh and said, “Well, I’m not answering that,”  
  
Michael shook his head as Gavin laughed, a grin crossing his features easily, “You _literally_ just asked me the same question jackass, only fair,”  
  
“Well _yeah_ but,” Gavin laughed, at a loss for excuses.  
  
“Fess up, fucker,” Michael said, tilting his head with an expectant expression on his face, leaning more and more until Gavin rolled his eyes with an air of surrender.  
  
Gavin glanced away, “I dunno, could do I guess. Thought about it.”  
  
“Yeah?” Michael encouraged, glancing again at Geoff and Ryan mid-water fight in the waves as he took another gulp of beer.  
  
“A bit.”  
  
“Tried it?”  
  
“Not with a- not with someone.” Gavin said, and Michael could hardly believe it, but it was almost vulnerable the way Gavin said it. Maybe just embarrassed.  
  
“Little bit of holding your breath? Do anything for you?” Michael asked, waggling his eyebrows to make it a bit lighter.  
  
“Not sure.” Gavin chuckled.  
  
“Hm.” Michael said through a sip of beer.  
  
Gavin shrugged and it was quiet for a second until it seemed like Gavin had forgotten the question Michael had danced around in the first place, until he came out with,“What about the collar then?”  
  
Michael scoffed and looked away in disbelief at the things Gavin was willing to ask point-blank, “Are you asking because you’re a nosey fuck, or because you’re interested?”  
  
“Interested?” Gavin asked, taking a long sip of beer.  
  
“You know- _interested,”_ Michael said leaning in with a wink for good measure.  
  
Gavin spluttered beer out of his mouth, spraying messily over the sand that he had gathered between his legs, forcing a laugh out of Michael. Gavin was bemoaning the mess of wet sand on him while Michael laughed on, and that was precisely when Jeremy and Jack approached from the shore. They were both soaked and cold to the touch and they knowingly used it against their dry counterparts, wrapping Michael and Gavin into wet cold hugs respectively and then tackling them into the sand.  
  
_“OH NO, WHY!”_ Gavin screeched, desperately trying to squirm away from Jack’s hold, to no avail.  
  
“AAAGGGHHH!” Michael mock-screamed, mostly laughing as he tried to fight his way out of Jeremy’s stupidly strong arms.  
  
They eventually sprawled out into a sandy semi-circle, joined by the rest of the boys with a few hearty laughs and well-earned eye rolls and hair ruffling as they settled into the warm sand.  
  
“It’s actually really nice out,” Jack said, starting to make a little pile of sand in front of him.  
  
“Yeah, I didn’t actually expect it to be so warm but. Texas, I guess,” Geoff said with a shrug as he pulled Michael’s head into his lap.  
  
“You fucking bet “Texas,” I didn’t even know that a hundred degrees was a fucking thing before I moved here,” Jeremy said.  
  
Ryan smiled, “You get used to it. Sort of. It’s like a neverending summer.”  
  
“I think I hate it.” Ray said, dry and still in a t-shirt, visibly sweating.  
  
“That’s fair,” Michael said, “Sometimes I think I hate it, but then I remember what shoveling snow was like and I’m like, yeah. Fuck that.”  
  
Jeremy hummed and nodded, “Basements. Oh my god, flooded basements.”  
  
“Traffic.” Ray said.  
  
“There’s traffic here,” Ryan said.  
  
“Shut up Ryan, the east coasters are reminiscing and you weren’t fucking invited,” Ray shot back, and Ryan put his hands up in surrender.  
  
“Point is- beach vacation in November beats out all that shit,” Jeremy said.  
  
“Yeah. Oh man, we should totally make a bonfire tonight,” Jack said, sitting up a bit more with an excited grin and looking around for takers.  
  
“S’mores?” Ryan asked.  
  
“I’m sure we have shit for s’mores- and we have hot dogs and stuff. Firewood in the garage. The sun’s already dipping out, are you guys in or what?” Jack asked, standing up and brushing sand off his swim trunks.  
  
“Yes to s’mores, yes to fire, and yes to truth or dare,” Gavin said, standing and jumping onto Jack who only laughed as he climbed onto his shoulders.  
  
“Truth or dare, right because we’re all the coolest sixteen-year-olds at the makeout party in the sophomore class,” Geoff said with a chuckle.  
  
“Fucking erasure of loser sixteen-year-olds who didn’t get invited, Geoff, god.” Ray said, and Jeremy snorted out a laugh.  
  
“Makeout parties aren’t all they’re cracked up to be,” Ryan said with a wistful shrug.  
  
“You went to makeout parties?” Jeremy asked, and Ryan shrugged again.  
  
“Are we having a makeout party tonight?” Michael asked, waggling his brows up at Geoff.  
  
“Dibs on Michael,” Gavin said from his perch on Jack’s shoulders.  
  
“Uh, dibs on Gavin shutting the fuck up,” Geoff said with a glare as Michael laughed.  
  
“Can we vote Geoff out of the vacation for bad manners?” Gavin asked, and Geoff got up and wrangled Gavin off of Jack’s shoulders.  
  
“This isn’t _Matchmaker,_ you fucking twerp!” Geoff yelled as he forced handfuls of sand down Gavin’s shorts, inciting Gavin to scream bloody fucking murder.  
  
“AAAAAHHHH GEOFF NO, STOP!” Gavin screeched, trying desperately to scramble away as Geoff snickered and held him fast from escaping.  
  
The guys watched the scene for a second before Jack eventually clapped and got everyone’s attention, “Okay, so who wants to help me bring out the firewood?”  
  
“I’ll help,” Jeremy said, and Jack gestured for him to follow him.  
  
Gavin was still squirming around and yelping under Geoff’s chuckling punishment, and Michael watched on with interest alongside the guys as it went on for a good bit, “Are they always like that?”  
  
“What- putting their hands in each other’s pants? Sure.” Ryan said with a chuckle.  
  
Michael sighed exaggeratedly like he was put-off and laid back in the sand, “Geoff never touches me like _that.”_ perfectly timed as Geoff pushed Gavin’s face into wet sand.  
  
The guys laughed as Gavin cried out again, “GUYS, HELP,” spitting out sand as he did. Then Jack and Jeremy dropped firewood on the ground and they set about setting up a little area around it with the towels. Jack set his boom box down as well, and so they had some tunes to set the scene for them as they started actually helping. They arranged the firewood into a neat stack, Geoff and Gavin eventually joining the effort after a nice moment where Gavin decided that stripping down to nothing was better than sand-filled shorts. Until, of course, Ryan threatened to squirt lighter fluid on Gavin’s dick and he opted for sandy shorts again.  
  
Eventually the sun had completed its pilgrimage to the edge of the horizon, leaving the sky a halo of indigo, following after the last streaks of light as they faded away. The guys set up a pretty decent fire and had settled in with a cooler filled with alcohol and long skewers with something or another cooking over the fire on the ends. In Geoff’s case, he had peeled off the label from Michael’s beer and was watching with a distracted gaze as fire licked at the edge of the label and slowly blackened as it chased after the opposite end of the thin paper. He had some line on the tip of his tongue about it, one of those things you wanna write down, something about how fire pursued its own end and seemed to thrive on the limitation- in spite of it, or because of it. Geoff watched the label burn into blackened little pieces as he tried to formulate this, rattled only when Michael nudged him with his shoulder on their shared towel.  
  
“Care to join us back on Earth, Geoff?” Michael chuckled quietly, and Geoff slowly smiled as he traced the line of the fire’s glow on Michael’s skin. Orange like the streetlights they skipped in and out of so often in Austin.  
  
“I’m here,” Geoff said.  
  
“Okay,” Michael said with a shrug, and offered him a toasted marshmallow, which Geoff happily accepted just in time for Gavin to be just drunk enough to want even more of everyone’s attention on him than usual.  
  
“BOYS! Boys, boys, boys,” Gavin spoke over the blare of the music, standing up while everyone gave into his plot, “It’s time. For truth or dare.”  
  
“Boo, I came for the makeout party,” Ray said through cupped hands, and the guys laughed while Gavin squinted down at Ray.  
  
“I can make it a makeout party if that’s what you wish, Ray-,” Gavin paused like he had just thought of something, “you should- is your- _never mind!”_  
  
The guys laughed as Ray inexplicably sunk further into his sandy spot and Gavin went on, “The point is! Who wants to go first!”  
  
“What about you, jackass?” Ryan said, and the guys _oooh’ed_ appropriately.  
  
“Ryan! Thank you for volunteering, truth or dare?” Gavin said, voice dropping low as he sat back down and pointed his skewer at Ryan like it was a sword.  
  
Ryan rolled his eyes until Jeremy shoved him and then let out a breath, “Truth.”  
  
“Excellent. Ryan- you have a nice little camera, as I’ve been made aware. Ever use it to take some naughty photos?” Gavin asked, and Ryan slowly blushed as the guys all burst out laughing.  
  
“Ryan, seriously?” Jack asked through a laugh, and Ryan looked away.  
  
“It’s my camera! I can do whatever I want with it!” Ryan said, and Geoff was laughing so hard he was curled over himself with it.  
  
“Is that- oh my god,” Geoff wiped away tears of laughter, “is that why I heard you fall on the floor a few weeks ago? I thought I heard the camera flash sound but I-,” and then Geoff burst into laughter again as Ryan blushed an even deeper red.  
  
“This game is stupid,” Ryan said, and Jeremy rubbed his back in consolation even as he laughed along with the guys.  
  
“Stupid or not, it’s your turn to ask someone,” Gavin said.  
  
“Gavin. Truth or dare?” Ryan said, eyes shooting daggers at him.  
  
“Oh, Ryan. How cute. Trying to get back at me. Dare.” Gavin said with a raised brow.  
  
Ryan shrugged and looked around, “Well, you guys wanted a makeout party-,”  
  
“Ryan, no-,” Jack started with a chuckle, but the guys interrupted him with their hooting and hollering.  
  
Michael shouted, “Ryan the crowd-pleaser guy!”  
  
“KISS, KISS, KISS!” Geoff yelled over everyone else’s voices.  
  
“So Gavin. Kiss…” Ryan looked around for his victim until his eyes landed on, “Ray. Sorry in advance, Ray.”  
  
Gavin rolled his eyes and scooted closer to Ray, about to lean in until Geoff shouted, “WAIT, hold on! I think Ryan should be more specific.”  
  
“Fine, for- I dunno, fifteen seconds,” Ryan said with a shrug.  
  
Gavin looked to Geoff for confirmation, and Geoff smiled and nodded, “I approve.”  
  
“Great, yeah, I’m glad that there’s a countdown for this already weird thing we’re about to do,” Ray deadpanned, and Gavin lifted his chin a bit with a single finger.  
  
“I know being sober doesn’t help, but I promise-,” Gavin said, “I don’t bite. Much.”  
  
The guys looked at each other with raised brows and inebriated smirks for just a second, and before Ray could get out a response Gavin was kissing him- and not just a peck either. Half the group screamed while Geoff and Michael started counting down from fifteen.  
  
Jack looked at Ryan with that look that said _Now look at what you’ve done_ as Gavin kissed Ray with an unrivaled dedication, shoving Ray’s glasses up into his hair and then threading his fingers in the short strands at the nape of his neck. Ray was completely at Gavin’s mercy, seemingly holding on for dear life.  
  
“THREE, TWO, ONE!”  
  
The guys cheered as Gavin and Ray separated, Gavin looking like he was a few claps away from bowing for his audience and Ray looking appropriately flustered as he adjusted his glasses.  
  
“Bit much there, Gav,” Jack said.  
  
“I don’t half-arse anything, Jack,” Gavin said as he sat back in his spot.  
  
“No you don’t,” Ray said, and the guys looked at him teasingly before he went on, “The man takes pride in his work, guys.”  
  
“That I do! But, as much as I’d love to go on about how much of a good kisser I am- yes, I have references- the game must continue!” Gavin said, and the guys rolled their eyes in laughter.  
  
“Michael! Truth or dare, you foxy man,” Gavin said, and Geoff only blinked a lot in response to that.  
  
“Uh-hum,” Michael chuckled, “Dare?”  
  
“Brave man.” Gavin said, and then gathered all of the mostly empty beers scattered around them while the guys watched on. Gavin grabbed a plastic cup and one by one emptied the dregs of each of the bottles into the cup until it was full of a foamy concoction of the backwash of several different beers. Then he handed it to Michael.  
  
Michael made a face and then grabbed it, Gavin gagging as it sloshed warmly when he handed it off, “Gavin. Why.” Michael chuckled sadly, staring down into the cup.  
  
“Because! Dear Michael, this is a game and I uhh- I like to win,” Gavin said, pleased with himself while Jeremy shook his head.  
  
“You can’t fucking _win_ truth or dare,” Jeremy said.  
  
“Just watch him,” Geoff said, mouthing the words _So sorry_ to Michael as Michael nodded to himself and raised the cup in some bastardized toast to the boys. Then, like the champion of bravery or stupidity he was, he tipped his head back and poured the murky liquid down his throat.  
  
“Oh… _no,”_ Jeremy said, somewhere between a laugh and a sob as the rest of the guys made faces of disgust, or in Geoff’s case, concern followed by a strange sense of pride when Michael finished with watery eyes. He upturned the cup to show he finished every drop, and when Gavin gagged again he filled it with sand and tossed it squarely at Gavin’s forehead.  
  
“Ouch! You little bastard!” Gavin yelled, tossing a handful of sand Michael’s way and only succeeding in damping the fire a bit.  
  
Michael let out a burp that _sounded_ like it tasted gross, and then put his arms up as if in challenge, “WHO’S WINNING NOW YOU STUPID FUCK,”  
  
“Oh great, he’s plastered,” Ryan said.  
  
“I’m- ! The- yeah okay I’m a little drunk whatever- I DARE-,” Michael fuzzily pointed around the circle until he arrived to Jack, _“Jaaaack,”_  
  
“Michael,” Jack replied with a nod of acknowledgement.  
  
“Truth or- or dare. There’s like no other way to say that, it’s like. Yeah, pick one,” Michael said with a shake of his head that sent his curls astir, and Geoff laughed and squeezed his leg in endearment.  
  
“I’ll go truth,” Jack said, and Michael squinted at him through long lashes.  
  
“Okay! Fuck, marry, kill it is,” Michael said, and the guys did their best impressions of scandalized as if they hadn’t just watched two of their friends make out for the hell of it. “Uhh, your choices are,” Michael looked around and then got a stupid grin on his face, “Geoff! Ryan, annnnd Gavin.”  
  
“Well-,” Jack started with a chuckle, quickly interrupted by Gavin who crossed Jeremy and Ryan’s laps to pull Jack in for a sloppy kiss, making everyone scream while Jeremy and Ryan shoved Gavin off of them.  
  
_“Gav-_ in!” Michael yelled through laughter while Jack tossed his head back in an all-out cackle, “Did you even _hear_ the dare?”  
  
“Yeah!” Gavin said as he shuffled back to his spot, now covered in sand, “You uhhh- what was it? No, wait! It was uh- kiss marry fuck Gavin. No it was-,”  
  
“Jesus christ, Gavin,” Ryan said.  
  
Gavin let out a full-body laugh, scrunching up his face with it as his cheeks heated, “Well no one stopped me! I heard my name!”  
  
“God,” Michael laughed out, turning to Jack, “Besides the restraining order, what’s your answer Jack?”  
  
“Uh,” Jack laughed, “Despite the tongue that was just in my mouth, I’d marry Geoff,”  
  
“Right answer,” Geoff cut in before Jack continued with a chuckle.  
  
“Fuck Ryan I guess and kill Gavin,” Jack finished with a shrug.  
  
“Jack! How could you!” Gavin pouted, and the guys roared with laughter while Jack simply winked at him over the rim of his plastic cup.  
  
“Everyone always fucks Ryan,” Geoff said almost poutily, and Jeremy tilted his head in question.  
  
“Sorry, who fucking what?” Jeremy said, directing his question to Ryan who let out a breath.  
  
“He just means that everyone _wants_ to fuck me,” Ryan said, and Geoff scoffed while Jeremy slowly nodded while he processed this somehow-new information with a slow drink of his beer.  
  
“Well, speaking of everyone wanting to fuck Ryan,” Jack said, “It’s my turn, and I think I’m going with Geoff.”  
  
“Dare!” Geoff yelled, startling Ray who had started to drift off.  
  
“Great! Because I think a little reenactment is in order,” Jack said, and everyone looked on in interest while Jack paused for dramatic effect, “The graduation party.”  
  
“Oh Jack, no come on,” Geoff whined, “We’re so so _so_ sober.”  
  
“That’ll just make it better.” Jack said gleefully.  
  
Ryan crossed his arms, “There’s no bathroom here for us to use as a stage.”  
  
“What the fuck is he talking about?” Jeremy asked across the fire to Michael, who leaned in.  
  
“They like- they swapped spit at some grad party. Hot, right?” Michael said with a shrug.  
  
“Oh. WHAT?” Jeremy yelled with a nervous laugh and Ryan winced.  
  
“I was _drunk,_ _he_ was drunk, and now Jack is making us pay for our sins.” Ryan gestured vaguely to Jack’s shit-eating grin.  
  
“Get on up boys, I didn’t go to that party, and our lovely new friends weren’t there either,” Jack said, seemingly very pleased with himself.  
  
“I was there,” Gavin piped up, “But I was in someone’s bedroom convincing that tight end that it wasn’t _gay_ if I was _British,”_  
  
Michael snorted so suddenly he spit up beer and the guys laughed.  
  
“I thought he was a quarterback.” Geoff said, blinking as he recalled the story.  
  
“What? Yeah, why d’you ask?” Gavin said, and the guys groaned, tossing handfuls of sand and empty cups at Gavin as he made a smarmy face at his own joke.  
  
“Okay, on with the reenactment,” Jack said with a clap, and Ryan and Geoff stood up.  
  
“What’s my motivation?” Geoff asked, and Michael laughed.  
  
“Ryan I know you have a theater minor so don’t half-ass it!” Jack said, and Ryan winced, crossing his arms and wishing he hadn’t left his shirt off all at once.  
  
“Okay, Ryan doesn’t feel so good and Geoff knows where the bathroom is- annnd _action!”_ Jack said, and the guys quieted down as Geoff and Ryan looked dumbly at each other for a second. Gavin turned up the volume on the boom box in some attempt to give the atmosphere of the party that night, and it helped to set things into motion.  
  
Ryan slumped over and threw an arm around Geoff’s shoulders, Geoff chuckling at the memory of it, _“Geoff,”_ Ryan whispered.  
  
_“Why are we whispering?”_ Geoff whispered back, and Ryan put his finger to his lips in a shush gesture.  
  
“I don’t- I drank something purple,” Ryan giggled, and Geoff let out a loud laugh at that, hadn’t remembered that detail until Ryan said it just then.  
  
“Was it good?” Geoff laughed out.  
  
“I did-don’t- feel. Good.” Ryan said.  
  
Michael glanced at Jeremy while they watched Geoff and Ryan, looking for any hint of what he might be thinking. He had a grin on his face, but Michael could see him wringing his hands a bit. Michael didn’t feel it too much, maybe it was the alcohol, but he did have the dredges of something odd in the pit of his stomach. Why hadn’t he seen Ryan and Geoff act this… _intimate_ with each other before?  
  
“It’s okay buddy, I’ll take ya to the bathroom,” Geoff said, turning away from Ryan who caught him by the waist. Geoff shivered a little at Ryan’s cold hands on his bare skin as they mimed walking to the bathroom, Geoff letting Ryan in before him as he had that night and closing the invisible door as he entered after him.  
  
When Geoff turned around Ryan’s eyes twinkled for only a second, and then he threw his arms around Geoff’s neck and pressed his lips to Geoff’s. Geoff vaguely remembered that in actuality Ryan had pressed him up against the door, but there was no door to speak of here.  
  
The guys whooped and hollered to keep the mood up, and Gavin yelled, “FUCK HIM!” just to get a dirty look from Jack and earn a few laughs.  
  
Geoff did what he did that night, taking as Ryan gave with a surprised chuckle against his lips, eventually pressing a hand to his chest and separating them. Ryan blinked at him for a second, and then turned and dropped to his knees in front of the imaginary toilet to vomit.  
  
“And scene!” Geoff said, and the guys laughed and clapped as they both took a bow.  
  
“Bravo!” Jack said, “Felt like I was there, boys.”  
  
“You vommed! What a baby!” Gavin yelled.  
  
“Hey, the purple shit was _not_ good. I still don’t know what it was.” Ryan said, and settled back into the sand.  
  
Geoff sat next to Michael and tried to be sly with his glance to catch his expression, but Michael caught him with an interesting stare. Geoff swallowed and looked away, set on daring Jeremy to use the gymnastic prowess Ryan had told Geoff about to backflip over the campfire before they called it a night.  
  
He did, and it earned everyone’s mindblown screams, and thank god the sand was so soft when he fell on his ass. Geoff tried to catch Michael’s eye one more time before they headed inside but couldn’t quite manage it.  
  
When they had all showered and toweled off and said goodnight, Geoff closed the bedroom door behind him and Michael with a tension that hadn’t left his shoulders.  
  
“What did I do?” Geoff asked.  
  
Michael untucked the sheets from the foot of the bed and didn’t look up, “Nothin’.”  
  
“I did something. Let’s talk about it.” Geoff said, taking a few cautious steps into the room.  
  
Michael shrugged, “You didn’t do anything.”  
  
“Was it the kiss? Should I have gotten permission first?” Geoff asked, tension building a nest between his shoulder blades and ripping the for sale sign out of his spine.  
  
“Nope.” Michael said, popping the _p._  
  
“Michael.”  
  
Michael sighed and stopped pretending to fluff the pillows, “Kinda.”  
  
Geoff let out a breath and sat on the bed, “Tell me.”  
  
“I dunno, I was just thinking.” Michael shrugged and sat across from him on the mattress, scratching his head idly as he went on, “Was Ryan your first kiss?”  
  
“What? No. Oh- you mean with a guy. Yes.” Geoff said, trying to press puzzle pieces together in his head.  
  
“Okay.” Michael said, and laid back on the bed.  
  
Geoff bit his lip as they stayed silent for a moment and then went on, “You don’t like that.”  
  
“It’s not great,” Michael said and then sighed, “I know that you kinda put on this charade that you’re the jealous type-,”  
  
“Sure, charade, yeah,” Geoff interrupted with a chuckle.  
  
“But I might _actually_ be?” Michael said, lilt in his voice making it sound like a question.  
  
“That’s okay.” Geoff said simply. Michael looked at him like he wasn’t quite getting the big picture, and Geoff motioned for him to go on if there was more. But he wasn’t afraid of jealousy in and of itself- sure, it was that green-eyed monster, but if there was any one cryptid that Geoff knew all too well it was the little emerald bastard that frequently knocked on his front door.  
  
“I just- did I ever tell you my whole first kiss thing?” Michael said after a second.  
  
“Uh, no.” Geoff tried not to act like he was starving for any piece of information about Michael that he could get his hands on, and sat on his hands as he waited for Michael to go on.  
  
“Well.”  
  
Michael hadn’t come out to his mother yet when he was in high school, his father feeling long gone by that point. He remembered that because that was how it had happened- his mother had become lax with rules in an effort to keep the family from feeling less like the way it did. It was just Michael and his oldest sister left in the house, both in high school and pretending that they didn’t know each other. The lax rules didn’t help things feel much more put together, but it didn’t hurt. Especially when his sister was allowed to bring her boyfriend into the house, up to her room, wherever without a hassle.  
  
Michael was severely, teenage boy, flusteringly-interested in that boy. He’d blush when he opened the front door to let him in, wait to hear his footsteps in the hallway so he could accidentally run into him. A lot.  
  
“Oh my god you’re so fucking precious.” Geoff said, nudging Michael softly.  
  
Michael rolled his eyes, “Anyway, one day she’s like, not home yet or something. And he shows up at the door.”  
  
Michael had nervously waved him into the living room and stumbled over his own feet trying to close the door, “Um, she’s not home.”  
  
“Oh,” he had said. Pete. His name was Pete. “Can I wait here for her?”  
  
“Yeah, uh-,” Michael gestured vaguely, “whatever.”  
  
They stood in an stilted silence for a second where Michael couldn’t look at his face, but when he did Pete had some stupid smile on his face and Michael blushed something fierce.  
  
“I uh-,” Michael gestured vaguely upstairs as he stared at his shoes, “Have you ever seen my room?”  
  
And then they were there, and Michael was trying desperately to play it cool as Pete sat on his bed and looked around. He asked a lot of questions about the posters and if the window went out to the roof, even commented on how weirdly clean Michael kept it, all while Michael stood in the doorway.  
  
“You have a TV?” Pete eventually asked.  
  
“It’s just my mom’s old one, but it gets cable,” Michael said walking into the room and sitting a tad too close to Pete as he leaned over and turned it on.  
  
They watched something that Michael couldn’t remember anymore on mute for a few seconds before Pete was whispering, “You ever get those scrambled porno channels on there?”  
  
Michael blushed and cleared his throat as he nodded, “A coupl’a times,” he said quietly.  
  
When Michael turned, Pete was really close to his face with this look in his eye and Michael’s mind had turned to static. Before he could overthink it, he had closed the distance between them, letting out a slow breath through his nose when he felt how soft Pete’s mouth was against his. Pete had stayed frozen for a second, and Michael pulled away with apologies and excuses about hormones and pornos on the tip of his tongue, but then Pete had leaned in again and kissed him like he meant it and Michael’s words died somewhere between the hall and the front door.  
  
“Then she got home.” Michael turned to Geoff to catch his reaction.  
  
“No.” Geoff said, covering his mouth with his hands.  
  
“Yes.” Michael said.  
  
_“Peter!?”_ her voice echoed in Michael’s head.  
  
“Oh my god,” Geoff said.  
  
“Yeah, she started screaming and he ditched pretty quick. I was, like, begging her not to tell my mom and she was just like telling me how karma was gonna get me one day.” Michael said, and Geoff just nodded for a second before he put it all together.  
  
“Wait, is that what this is about? Karma? You think I’m gonna _cheat_ on you? With _Ryan?”_ Geoff asked incredulously, and Michael mimed for him to keep it down. Geoff lowered his voice and went on, “You can’t be serious.”  
  
“Geoff, I don’t even really talk to my sister anymore, but every guy I’ve been with since then-,”  
  
“Has cheated on you!?” Geoff yelled.  
  
“Well, yeah.”  
  
Geoff sat stunned for a moment, “Wow. Well, consider this a reversal of fate. Michael Jones I’m never gonna cheat on you. I’d be a fucking moron to do that.”  
  
Michael smiled nervously up at Geoff as he went on, “Also, Jeremy would absolutely turn me inside out and backflip me to death or something if I even touched Ryan outside of joking circumstances so-,” Michael shoved him over on the bed with a chuckle, “I don’t think I’ll risk it.”  
  
“Yeah I wouldn’t. Jeremy scares me sometimes,” Michael said jokingly, and they shucked their clothes and got into bed. Geoff watched Michael’s expression as they hit the lights and settled in together, feeling a pang of something in his heart to think that anyone could ever hurt him.  
  
Geoff pressed a kiss to Michael’s shoulder after a while of silence and whispered, “I’m sorry that people are stupid, and that they do stupid shit. And that it hurt you.”  
  
Michael let out a slow breath and said nothing for a bit, then just as Geoff was drifting off he turned to him and whispered, “Hey.”  
  
“Hey.” Geoff said sleepily, and Michael looked like he was going to say something, and Geoff was holding his breath as he watched the microexpressions shutter back and forth on Michael’s face. Eventually he smiled somberly and kissed Geoff’s nose and then pressed their foreheads together.  
  
“What are you doing for Thanksgiving?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY i come bearing this!!!!!!!! sorry for the delay but i wanted to make sure i had a direction before i posted this chapter and the good news is i found it and i'm dead set on getting there!!!!!!!!!
> 
> hope y'all like this since it's 3am and i've listened to despacito like 83 times tonight okay OKAY leave a comment! leave a kudos! tell ur friends! ok bye :'''''''''''') ♥


	23. Chapter 23

“I have an idea, I think,” Michael said when he and Geoff were just lounging around the bedroom. It was already fairly late in the day and they’d just been lazily making out, the way they did when they weren’t really planning on fucking, but they wouldn’t mind if that’s where it took them. The sheets had all been kicked out of the way, and their hands were lazy but particular on where they landed on each other’s skin.  
  
Michael had found himself on his back with Geoff finding his favorite places to kiss and discovering new ones along the way. Like Michael’s ribcage, or the soft spot just behind his ear. Michael’s fingers traced invisible love letters in Geoff’s hairline and then down his spine as he waited for Geoff to realize he wanted his attention. Geoff was still kissing the column of Michael’s neck like it was just something to pass the time and looked up vaguely without stopping the teasing bites to Michael’s already raw skin.  
  
“Hm?” Geoff said, moving to mouth at his collarbone.  
  
“A question,” Michael corrected, and then shook his head again, “A suggestion?”  
  
“Well I can help you decide what it is if you tell me,” Geoff chuckled, and then rested his head on his hands on Michael’s chest.  
  
“I’m- well. I wanna fuck you?” Michael said, framing it as a question and shrugging sheepishly.  
  
“Uh, yeah. Yeah, okay.” Geoff said, and Michael tried desperately to analyze his expression.  
  
“Don’t just fucking say yes, tell me what you think.” Michael said, pouting a bit as he waited for Geoff’s face to break into something he could pick apart. It didn’t, of course.  
  
Geoff shrugged dumbly, “Well, I didn’t think that was like, off the table. I just thought you preferred-,”  
  
“Oh trust me, I do.” Michael said, tracing his fingers down the ink on Geoff’s arm.  
  
“Okay,” Geoff laughed out.  
  
Michael let out a breath, “I just think it would be _really_ fucking good.”  
  
Geoff raised his eyebrows teasingly, dropping his voice a bit in that way that made Michael fucking crazy, “Oh, so you’ve been thinking about this a lot, huh?”  
  
Michael’s cheeks and chest pinked at the question and he stared up at the ceiling rather than face Geoff’s sea blue eyes and admit to jacking off to wanting to fuck him, “A little bit… a lot. A fuckton probably. I have a picture in my head.”  
  
“Will you paint it for me, boyfriend?” Geoff said, and then trailed light kisses up until he was kissing all over Michael’s face and making him giggle and fidget needlessly.  
  
“You’re not my boyfriend,” Michael chuckled, getting his hands on a pillow to smack Geoff with so that he stopped.  
  
“Oh, no?” Geoff said, pressing their foreheads together, “I thought I did that whole thing where I asked to go steady- I can do it again if you want, I’m getting pretty good at reenactments-,”  
  
“No, I’m just- I’m saying. It’s more romantic than that.” Michael said, playing with the edge of the pillowcase and making eyes at Geoff.  
  
Geoff nodded and hummed like he was thinking it over, “Is it because I’m going with you to New Jersey to meet the infamous Jones family now? Did I level up, because I’m all for that.”  
  
“You maybe leveled up. You did. You fucker.” Michael said with an air of affection that pierced Geoff to his core. He could see the glisten in Michael’s eyes where his teasing met his guarded self, and longed to open the door that joined the two.  
  
Geoff leaned in and kissed him chastely before saying, “We’re something more romantic than boyfriends. Okay, I’m listening.”  
  
“You’re… my lover.” Michael said, and smiled so sweetly that Geoff felt that maybe an arrow really had been shot right through his heart, because he could feel the edges of the wound in his chest when he saw that smile.  
  
“Lover implies love.” Geoff said, and it sounded like a challenge, but he had reached between them to hold Michael’s hands and it really served to soften his tone.  
  
“That sentence implies that you want me to say something,” Michael said, raising his eyebrows even as his heart raced in his chest. He knew the game they were playing even if he hadn’t exactly played it before, and they had been playing it for a while.  
  
“Oh? What do I want you to say?” Geoff said, batting his eyelashes and, god, Michael was really about to go into cardiac arrest over this stupid boy.  
  
“You know so many more words than I do,” Michael said.  
  
Geoff nodded, “Mhm, sure. Ubiquitous. Irreverent. Impossible.”  
  
“I know that one, I know impossible.” Michael said.  
  
Geoff smiled and leaned toward Michael’s face again, whispering, “Did you know that it’s impossible for me to wait any longer?”  
  
“Any longer for what?” Michael whispered back, and it felt like they were telling secrets. Like they could be in middle school behind the bleachers during gym, cupping their hands around the other’s ear and trusting the way children had never wanted to trust then. The way Michael had never learned how to. The way he was trusting now.  
  
“I love you.” Geoff said, and it wasn’t secret anymore.  
  
Michael felt a swell in his chest that could compete with the crests of the highest waves outside their window, could almost bubble with laughter at the rush of just _happy._ He took a breath and said, “I love you. Lover.”  
  
“Lover.” Geoff said.  
  
Geoff leaned in and kissed him, feeling breathless and young and so fucking loved. Loved, for fuck’s sake. Because they were in love, and they had been all this time. Geoff knew deep within himself, where his joints joined his bones together to make him who he was, that he had loved Michael all along. And it was very sappy, and he could almost hate how god damn much he had become this converted romantic, if he didn’t love it so much. Love Michael so god damn much.  
  
Michael, in the _oh-so_ Michael way that made him the center of Geoff’s universe, turned their sweet moment into something a little less than tender as he licked dirtily into Geoff’s mouth. Geoff hummed something of a chuckle between their mouths, biting at Michael’s lip when his hands slipped beneath his boxer briefs to squeeze his ass.  
  
Michael pulled away breathlessly, “I know this is supposed to be romantic and all, but please let me fuck you, oh my god please.” He said the words harshly against the press of Geoff’s lips, and the note of desperation really stirred Geoff’s cock.  
  
“This is why I love you,” Geoff sighed against Michael’s mouth, hand trailing up Michael’s thigh until he could palm Michael’s cock where it was slowly joining the party from beneath his boxer briefs. Michael chuckled and then hummed a bit at the sensation of Geoff’s hand insistent against him, then he grabbed for Geoff’s wrist and tugged it away.  
  
Geoff leaned back to look at him in question, and Michael just shook his head, licking his lips once before saying, “Remember that picture you wanted me to paint you?”  
  
**  
  
A few minutes and some creatively used pillowcases later, Michael was wearing his lovely collar, his wrists were bound to the headboard, his cock was fully hard and dripping, and Geoff was sitting between his ankles a little ways away. Geoff was already feeling an interesting heat in the pit of his stomach, seeing Michael all tied up for him like that. He was sinful the way his mouth was kiss bruised, his cheeks stained the same shade of pink that smeared down his chest, even more noticeable when you took in his milk-honey skin. Geoff wanted to taste it.  
  
“This what you wanted?” Geoff asked, sounding almost like a taunt. His eyes trailed up Michael’s body with a questioning stare, taking in the picture that he made as his hand moved to stroke his own cock. As soon as Geoff’s hand made contact with his own dick, Michael let out a little gasp, hips twitching involuntarily.  
  
“Yes,” Michael said softly, eyes fixated on the slow movement of Geoff’s hand.  
  
“Yeah? You wanted to watch,” Geoff said, hissing as he twisted on a particularly good upstroke, “Wanted to watch me get ready to take your cock.”  
  
Michael nodded, bottom lip between his teeth.  
  
“Well,” Geoff said, reaching over to pop the cap on the lube, “You know I _love_ to give you what you want.”  
  
Michael swallowed thickly as Geoff coated his fingers and leaned onto his side on the bed to press them into himself. Michael’s mouth fell open, watching Geoff’s eyes flutter closed as he pressed in two at once, too impatient to start slower. Michael’s hands twitched against his restraints as he watched Geoff get greedy with himself, moving his fingers out quicker and quicker as he breathed harshly. Geoff’s tattooed bicep was flexing and unflexing as he stretched his arm back, and Michael struggled briefly at his restraints, wanting so badly to kiss Geoff open, help him be even greedier for pleasure.  
  
“Do you- fuck,” Geoff groaned as he crooked his fingers and found his prostate, and Michael snapped back to attention, “do you think you _deserve_ to fuck me?”  
  
Michael let out a whine, throat completely dry as he tracked Geoff’s movements, and Geoff continued, “Have you been good?”  
  
“Y-yes,” Michael let out, throat dry.  
  
“Really?” Geoff said, and pressed a third finger in alongside the rest, “What about when you were so loud that all our friends heard you call me daddy?”  
  
Michael flushed deep and his cock twitched against his stomach as Geoff looked at him expectantly. He was fucking into himself earnestly, getting a little breathless with it as he was tempted to get a hand on his cock as well.  
  
“Well?” Geoff asked.  
  
“I’m sorry,” Michael said.  
  
“Sorry what?” Geoff asked, and Michael blushed even deeper.  
  
“I’m sorry daddy,” Michael said softly.  
  
“What if I just get myself off right now?” Geoff asked in lieu of a response, and Michael let out a slow breath as he continued, “And I just left you here like this. For the boys to find.”  
  
Michael let out a low whine, and Geoff pushed it further, “What do you think Gavin would think if he found you like this? He’d think you’re a little slut.”  
  
Michael pulled at his restraints again as he pictured it. Gavin walking in and finding him all tied up and leaking, probably tearing up from how hard he was. He was starting to feel even hotter under the collar, mumbled something under his breath as Geoff pulled his fingers out of himself and wiped them on the bedding.  
  
“What was that?” Geoff asked.  
  
“Your little slut,” Michael said breathlessly, and Geoff hummed in response, moving up Michael’s body as he did. He purposely avoided touching Michael in anything more than feather-light glances of skin against skin as he approached, indulging in every harsh breath Michael released. Inhale. Exhale.  
  
“That’s right,” Geoff said quietly, breath just glancing over the head of Michael’s cock teasingly, “You’re _all_ mine, right?”  
  
Michael nodded furiously, trying desperately not to thrust his cock into Geoff’s face.  
  
“Not Gavin’s, not Ryan’s. Mine.” Geoff said, and then licked at the head of Michael’s cock just once, eliciting a wanton moan from Michael’s mouth. Geoff hummed an amused laugh and sucked the head of Michael’s cock into his mouth, just suckling at it a bit and tonguing at the slit, trying to rile Michael up. Michael thrashed against the headboard and whined, thrusting a bit into Geoff’s mouth and then gasping when Geoff popped his mouth off of him.  
  
“Mm,” Geoff hummed, “Yum. All for me.”  
  
He got a hand around Michael’s cock, and it was all Michael could do not to fucking cry out and alert everyone in the damn house of what they were doing. He wanted _touch,_ and he wanted _more,_ and he wanted _now._  
  
“I’m all ready for you baby,” Geoff said, getting a condom on Michael’s cock and lubing him generously, “You ready for me?”  
  
Michael felt about as unready as he could get, chest heaving with arousal, and he longed to get a hand around his cock just for a second to hold him back. He felt a whine at the base of his throat as Geoff tilted in question, and Michael choked back a moan, settling for whimpering _“Daddy.”_  
  
Geoff chuckled and leaned in to bite at Michael’s jawline roguishly, “I’ll take that as a yes.”  
  
Michael nodded vigorously, thrusting into Geoff’s hand and trying so hard not to think about how badly he wanted to grab Geoff’s hips, scratch down his back, suck his cock. Geoff pressed a warm hand to his chest as he closed the distance between them, so he was kneeling over Michael’s lap. Michael let out a steadying breath as Geoff lined up Michael’s cock with his entrance, licking his lips once and leaning in to kiss Michael to ground him as he slowly sunk downward.  
  
Michael gave into the kiss easily, finding the comfort of it soothing to the perennial ache that unfurled from his vessels and made him hot all over. As soon as Geoff guided Michael’s length inside him Michael felt a flash of heat that threatened to melt him to bits, strengthened by his arms fighting against the pillowcase that held him fast to the headboard.  
  
“Oh,” Geoff whispered as Michael entered him, feeling that achy stretch that was so good, and he reveled in the sensation of it, how he had all but forgotten how it could be. His eyes fluttered closed as he sunk down, relishing every inch.  
  
_“Fuck,”_ Michael gasped out once Geoff was fully seated on his cock, leaning forward as much as he could in askance of a kiss that Geoff was too distracted to give.  
  
Finally, Geoff reopened his eyes and looked at Michael. Michael, who was using every ounce of willpower to stop himself from thrusting mindlessly into Geoff’s tight heat. Geoff looked absolutely smug, like he knew exactly how needy Michael was, completely at his mercy. He tugged at Michael’s collar, moving his finger back and forth in the tight space between it and Michael’s still-bruised neck. Michael shivered at the pain-pleasure, the haze his mind went into for a second when he couldn’t swallow with Geoff’s finger holding the collar taut.  
  
Geoff chuckled a bit, and Michael couldn’t believe how easygoing he was being about this, watched as he got a hand between them to jack himself lazily. Michael watched with something close to jealousy, that Geoff got to touch his cock and Michael couldn’t. He pulled at his restraints again, getting Geoff’s attention when the headboard creaked with the force.  
  
“Oh, did you want me to move?” Geoff asked, and Michael could die.  
  
_“Yes,”_  
  
“Well baby,” Geoff punctuated his sentence with a light movement of his hips that punched a hole in Michael’s resolve, “You should’ve just asked. You should. Ask.”  
  
“Please,” Michael moaned, and Geoff _tsked._  
  
“I think you can do better than that.” Geoff said, voice low as he leaned in close to Michael’s jawline, the threat of a kiss heating Michael from the inside out and then cooling off when Geoff didn’t give in.  
  
Michael licked his already wet lips, staring resolutely at Geoff’s, “Can you- can you _please_ move, daddy?”  
  
Geoff grinned like no other and said, “Sure- but only if you can do one thing for me.”  
  
_“Pleeease,”_ Michael groaned, resting his forehead on Geoff’s chest.  
  
“Don’t come before I’m done. Okay?” Geoff said, lifting Michael’s face away from his chest with a hand on his chin.  
  
“Can you do that? Can you be a good boy and do that for me?” Geoff said, sweeping curls away from Michael’s forehead where they had stuck to his forehead with sweat.  
  
Michael had no idea how the _fuck_ he was gonna do that, just what they had already done had him balanced on the edge of a knife, and it hadn’t been a whole lot. He looked up at Geoff’s encouraging gaze and swallowed hard.  
  
“Yes, daddy,” Michael said, mouth dry.  
  
“Good.” Geoff said, and then seemingly dropped out of his persona for a second, letting out a breath as he lifted his hips slowly, Michael’s mouth opening in a silent moan as he was reminded of how fucking _tight_ Geoff was around him.  
  
“Oh god,” Michael moaned out, begging to grip Geoff’s thighs where they had tensed around his hips. Geoff was moving achingly slow, but right when Michael was just barely still inside him, he slammed down hard.  
  
“Oh- _fuuuck,”_ Michael whined, and Geoff let out a low moan that mingled with his between them.  
  
Geoff wasn’t fucking around anymore after that, bouncing on Michael’s cock at a steady pace, letting out these breathy little moans every time Michael’s cock hit that sweet spot. Michael was in awe of everything that Geoff was as he grasped at Michael’s arms, shoulders, trailed his hands down his chest.  
  
Geoff leaned in and finally kissed Michael, dirty and messy, their teeth catching every now and then as they bit and kissed at each other mindlessly, and Geoff was so fucking _giving._ He was bouncing on Michael’s cock like it was all he wanted to from now on, kissing Michael like he was grateful for the opportunity. Michael felt so encompassed by him he couldn’t fucking breathe, by his heat and friction, the way his eyes would stay closed, but become hazy and unfocused when he opened them.  
  
Then he started fucking talking.  
  
“Fuck baby, you fill me up so good,” Geoff moaned, and Michael thrusted his hips up harshly to meet Geoff’s, punching another moan out of him, “You’re- _ah-_ so _fucking good_ for me.”  
  
_“Daddy, please,_ I’m so close,” Michael whimpered, tears already stinging at his eyes from how he was holding back.  
  
“Mm,” Geoff moaned, getting a hand on his cock as he bounced on Michael’s cock in earnest, and Michael could fucking die for this. Geoff’s voice got shakier and shakier as he rode him, leaning in to rest his head in the heat of Michael’s neck and whispering incomprehensible dirty talk, just repetitions of _like that_ and _give it to me_ and _fuck._ And Michael couldn’t hold back, started thrusting into Geoff mindlessly, slamming his hips up and wrenching out moans from Geoff that he wasn’t even conscious of.  
  
_“Daddy-_ so- _so close,”_ Michael whined, tears fully streaking down his cheeks.  
  
“I’m almost- oh fuck, _oh fuck I’m-,”_ Geoff moaned out, hips moving erratically as he stripped his cock, and then he was coming, splattering messy over Michael’s abdomen and streaking down to his hips. He jacked himself through the aftershocks with a darkened look in his eyes, like he could eat Michael alive.  
  
Michael could barely process what was happening when, quick as anything, Geoff had pulled Michael’s length out of him and rid him of the condom, “Wha-,”  
  
“You were _so fucking good_ for me baby,” Geoff said breathlessly, laying down between Michael’s legs and playing with his cock with lazy strokes.  
  
“Daddy,” Michael cried, and then Geoff was taking him into his mouth, swallowing him down to the hilt and moaning. “Fuck, oh my _fuck-_ my _fucking god_ I, fuck-,” Michael moaned as Geoff worked his throat around him and then came back up to lick and suckle at the head of his cock. Right when Michael didn’t think he could take it anymore, Geoff’s free hand came up and tugged at Michael’s collar until he couldn’t get a breath out.  
  
_“Ah, ah- please, daddy- I’m- !”_ Michael whimpered out tightly and then came, unwittingly getting it all over Geoff’s face, sticky messy in the sweep of his lashes, dripping from his mouth and down the bridge of his nose.  
  
Geoff released his collar with a chuckle, and then reached behind him to undo the knot that held him to the headboard, all while Michael’s chest heaved and his body twitched with the aftershocks that were riding through him.  
  
“You made a mess,” Geoff said as he reached for something to wipe his face. Before he could, Michael had his face between his hands and licked at it, rough on his stubble and tender over his mouth, using his fingers to wipe the excess from his face and then sucking them each into his mouth in turn.  
  
Geoff stared at him with eyes hollow with want, pushed Michael back on the mattress and kissed him hard, licking into his mouth and sharing the taste between them. His hands pinned Michael to the bed by his shoulders, and when he was satisfied that all traces of Michael’s come had been shared between their messy mouths, he pulled back and looked down at Michael. He was ridiculous, the way he looked after he had been fucked good. Lips bruised pink, cheeks flushed just so, marks mingling with collar-bruises on his neck, scratches and bites down his chest. Geoff felt like an artist looking at his final draft, and Michael would absolutely _sell._  
  
“You are insatiable.” Geoff said quietly.  
  
“I’m in love with the way we fuck,” Michael croaked out, clearing his throat.  
  
“I am too. God, I already wanna return the favor,” Geoff said, fingers inching down to ghost over Michael’s hole.  
  
“Mm,” Michael moaned, and then pulled Geoff down for another kiss.  
  
There was a knock at the door, and they both sighed against each other, neither bothering to break their kiss.  
  
“Are you decent?” Gavin asked, opening the door without pausing for a second, “Oh, you’re not.” He had walked a ways into the room and tilted his head as he watched them for a second, kissing like he wasn’t even there. Gavin thought they’d at least be shameful enough to stop once he walked in, but when Michael let out a little whimper Gavin was apparently so very wrong.  
  
He blushed, “Guys.”  
  
They finally broke their kiss, or rather, Geoff did while Michael just kissed feverishly down his neck, moving his hips against Geoff’s completely unsubtly. Geoff looked at Gavin stonily, and Gavin wanted to avert his eyes but couldn’t bring himself to.  
  
“What.” Geoff said, and Gavin couldn’t remember what he came for. Came in for. Entered the. Fuck, he had knocked for a reason.  
  
“I, uh-,” Gavin said as Michael’s hand disappeared between the two of them, and he blinked as Geoff’s expression changed minutely.  
  
Geoff snapped his fingers as Gavin continued to stare, “You didn’t buy a ticket, dickface.”  
  
“Could I?” Gavin said, and Geoff tossed a pillow at him.  
  
“What do you want?” Geoff asked firmly, and Michael finally turned toward Gavin, lips swollen and eyes hungry.  
  
Hungry. Right. “There’s- eherm- there’s. Jeremy’s made us brunch.”  
  
“Fantastic. We’ll be down.” Geoff said deadpan, and Gavin caught Michael’s sly smirk for just a second before he walked out of the room, dodging another pillow from Geoff as he did. He stood outside the door and blinked to himself for a second, wondering if it was the light or if Michael really had been wearing that fucking collar.  
  
His thought process was interrupted by a muffled moan from the room, and he ditched quick, not sure what to do with his hands anymore and nearly tripping down the stairs. The guys chuckled as he stuck the landing, and Ray raised his eyebrows curiously.  
  
“See something you didn’t want to see?” Jack asked with a chuckle.  
  
Gavin opened his mouth vaguely, and then closed it.  
  
“I think it was worse,” Ray said, “I think he saw something he _did_ wanna see.”  
  
“Ooh,” Jeremy teased from his position in the kitchen.  
  
“Yikes, Gav,” Ryan said, and Gavin was still blinking.  
  
Ray pulled out the chair next to him and patted the seat, “I get it Gav. The ones you wanna see are the ones that are hardest to forget.”  
  
Gavin took the seat and took a large gulp of apple juice, then leaned his head on Ray’s shoulder. His face was expressionless, and Ray patted his hair soothingly, “I gotcha buddy.”  
  
**  
  
Eventually they made it downstairs.  
  
Geoff was, of course, carrying Michael, seeing as his bones had turned to jelly somewhere between the first orgasm and the umpteenth, and there’s no way he was gonna stumble down the stairs like fucking Bambi. The guys rolled their eyes at the spectacle they made as they got to the table, and Gavin- in an out-of-character move- carefully averted his gaze completely. Michael squinted when he couldn’t catch Gavin’s eye and Geoff just shrugged and dug into the chicken and waffles that hadn’t quite become cold yet.  
  
“Glad to see you guys are making the most of your vacation time,” Ryan said, and Ray snorted at that.  
  
“Jealous?” Geoff asked, grin unshakeable.  
  
“Why would I be jealous?” Ryan asked.  
  
“I dunno, I’ve been up in the room with Michael _a lot-,”_ the guys coughed and chuckled at that, “but I feel like you and Lil J aren’t doing that. So, sounds like you’re just jealous.” Geoff finished with a bite of food, and the guys all _ooh’ed_ like a fucking live studio audience.  
  
“Or _maybe_ we keep our sex lives to _ourselves_ because we’re not animals,” Ryan said with a clenched jaw. Jeremy and Michael looked at each other with the knowing look of two people sharing literally every detail of their sex lives with each other and continued eating without pause.  
  
“Oh you weren’t keeping _anything_ to yourself a few weeks ago Rye. Thin walls, remember?” Geoff said, and Ryan slammed his fist on the table in response, sending glassware a-clatter.  
  
“Hey now guys,” Michael started before it could escalate, “I’m sure everyone at the table is getting fucked six ways to Sunday any time they want, don’t get fucking snappy.”  
  
“Uh, no one’s fucking me- for the record.” Ray added, pulling a laugh.  
  
“I’m sure if you asked nice enough Gavin would fuck you free of charge. Or if you asked at all. Or just suggested it, even.” Jack said, then took a sip of coffee.  
  
Gavin crossed his arms and rejoined the conversation, “Why does everyone keep implying I’m a slut?”  
  
“Because you’re a slut. Or do you prefer man-whore?” Geoff said playfully, and Gavin flipped him off.  
  
“Rude!”  
  
“We’re not shaming you for it Gav, just stating facts.” Jeremy said.  
  
“I haven’t got laid in weeks, bloody good slut I am.” Gavin pouted, slouching in his chair.  
  
“Ah, the classic slut dryspell.” Ryan said wistfully, and Gavin scoffed.  
  
“What are you on about!?” he yelled, and the guys broke into laughter, Jack leaning over to muss Gavin’s hair lightheartedly as they moved on from the conversation.  
  
“So what's on the docket for today, boys?” Michael asked, slapping Geoff's hand away from his still-sensitive thighs as he did.  
  
Jack leaned out toward the window and said, “Well, believe it or not, there isn't _actually_ much daylight left so unless you're thinking long, cold, romantic walks on the beach-,”  
  
Jeremy interrupted, “I was thinking more like drinking. We have movies here right? Pop something in, get a drink or twenty in us-,” Jeremy glanced at Ryan, _“some_ of us-,”  
  
“Ah-,” Ray said, slamming a hand on the table, “For my sober friends- I may or may not be coming to the rescue.”  
  
“Meaning?” Ryan asked curiously.  
  
_“Meaning,_ that I have a comically large bag of weed if you dicks are interested.” Ray said frankly.  
  
“Ray, you pesky fuck, how are you barely telling us about this now?” Gavin said while Geoff and Ryan looked at each other in question.  
  
“What, and ruin the surprise?” Ray said with a shrug.  
  
“Well, I'm fucking interested,” Geoff said with a lingering glance at Ryan, “Very interested. Ryan?”  
  
Ryan shrugged, “Count me in.”  
  
“Then it’s a god damn party,” Gavin said, “So what movie are we watching then?”  
  
**  
  
Jack clapped his hands together and faced the guys as they got settled in the living room, “Alright so the rules are: drink whenever someone smokes a joint-,”  
  
“In the movie or in real life, Jack?” Michael said as Geoff blew smoke into the air, chuckling at Michael's question.  
  
Jack just chuckled as Jeremy piped up, “Or when someone drinks on screen-,”  
  
Jack counted off on his fingers, “Someone says _party,_ or _sixer,_ uh, when a freshman gets paddled-”  
  
_“And_ when someone gives Randy a pledge shirt-,” Geoff added.  
  
“Or Mitch rubs his nose.” Jeremy said, and Michael looked incredulously between all of them.  
  
“Has _everyone_ seen this fucking movie?” Michael laughed out, and Geoff leaned in to kiss his temple.  
  
“What, you haven’t seen _Dazed and Confused_?” Jack asked, and Michael shook his head, “Well, get ready to drink. A lot.”  
  
“And! Don't forget the default rule, boys,” Gavin said, gesturing to them with his already half-empty beer.  
  
“Which is?” Ryan asked.  
  
“If you're not drinking, drink.” Gavin said, and the guys laughed as Jack started the movie and went to sit next to Gavin on the floor.  
  
About half the movie later, Michael couldn’t feel his fucking face, and they were all talking over the movie as if it wasn’t even on. The only hint that it was even still going was that Jack and Gavin were still keeping up with the game, and every five fucking minutes they yelled, “DRINK!”  
  
“I’m just saying! I would fuck Matthew McConaughey in this movie,” Geoff yelled.  
  
“Geoffrey _please,_ you’re making me look bad,” Michael chuckled, putting a hand on Geoff’s face while he fought to bat it away.  
  
“What do you fucking mean!” Geoff whined, and half the guys groaned.  
  
“The mustache is terrible.” Ray said.  
  
“And the hair. No.” Gavin added with a scrunched up face, sipping his beer.  
  
“What’s wrong with the mustache? I had a mustache once!” Geoff yelled, and Michael started to shush him through a laugh until he processed what he said.  
  
“Geoff. _Geoff._ What.” Michael laughed, leaning hard into Geoff’s face.  
  
Jack nearly choked on his drink and turned to look at them, “Oh, we have pictures, Michael-,”  
  
“No, I’m with Geoff on this one,” Jeremy interrupted as the camera went to McConaughey again, “Would. Absolutely would.”  
  
“What is wrong with you!” Ryan burst out.  
  
“You guys don’t even- look at his body! Are you kidding me!” Jeremy said, gesturing to the TV like it was obvious.  
  
“Yeah I bet he’s still fucking around in Austin, if you like his body so much why don’t you go look him up,” Ryan said.  
  
“Oh he is, I saw him at a concert last summer.” Jack said in a deadpan tone, and for a second everyone stopped yelling.  
  
“You fucking what, love!?” Gavin yelled out.  
  
“DRINK!” Jack interrupted, and they drank.  
  
Michael was cackling uncontrollably, leaned over and tapped Jack on the shoulder, “Did- did you fucking hit that, Jack?” he said through a laugh.  
  
“I’m pretty sure he’s straight.” Jack said.  
  
“Absolutely- abso- fucking, pause the movie. Look. Look at him. The man’s not straight.” Jeremy yelled, opening another beer angrily.  
  
“God his face is a disaster, unpause, UNPAUSE!” Gavin yelled, shielding his eyes.  
  
“What’s this- why’s this character hanging out with these kids anyway? He’s like. Why?” Ryan said, squinting at the TV in disdain.  
  
“Oh my god, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THIS MOVIE!” Michael yelled, and then laughed harder.  
  
“It doesn’t matter because guess what guys! Guys, guys, guys, me and Michael are _in love,”_ Geoff said, and Michael groaned, “And! I’m going to meet his family on Thanksgiving!”  
  
“Aw how sweet, someone please gag him,” Ray said.  
  
“Did you exchange promise rings too?” Ryan said, and Michael flipped him off.  
  
Jeremy smacked Ryan, “No, idiot, we know they’re fucking why would they-,”  
  
“There’s different types of promise rings!” Jack added.  
  
Gavin scoffed, “No! That’s what promise means! It stands for _‘I promise God I will not fuck’_ duh!”  
  
“I think it’s more like ‘I promise God I will not fuck until marriage’ guys.” Ray said plainly.  
  
“Well then why would gays have promise rings?” Gavin asked softly.  
  
“We fucking don’t!” Jeremy said.  
  
“Then why did Geoff give Michael a promise ring?” Gavin asked, even more confused.  
  
“HE FUCKING DIDN’T!” Ray yelled.  
  
“THEN WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT!” Gavin yelled back.  
  
“SHUT UP!” Ryan said.  
  
“DRINK!”  
  
And they drank.  
  
And Michael laughed and laughed, and Geoff watched him with a smile and glazed eyes, held him closer and thanked his lucky fucking stars for the curly-headed dummy currently blasted and leaning on him for support. He met eyes with Jack who just smiled kindly, and his heart swelled with pride for his relationship, knowing that Jack’s smile was in congratulations of how far they’d come in so little time. Michael looked up at him as he managed to stop laughing, cheeks pink from his drinking and from smiling, and Geoff would kiss him if he didn’t so badly want to just keep seeing him smile. He held him closer, and thought more of lucky stars in appropriate constellations, and told himself to find out what Michael’s astrological sign was so he could prove that they were written in the fucking stars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> asgdkhgkmdblfn another longer one! fun fact i had this done about a week ago but then i went on a trip before i could post it
> 
> anyway!!!!! i hope u fucking liked it i'm having such a good time writing this & i love y'all's feed back SO as always leave a comment to let me know what you think or leave kudos if you haven't already!! ♥


	24. Chapter 24

The water was warmer than it had been, like it knew they were going to leave. Like it was asking them to stay. Michael was waist deep in it, considering going back to school only long enough to drop out to become a beach bum with Geoff forever. They could squat in Jack’s time share and steal food from the strip. They could kiss and fuck and live like this.  
  
Michael turned to Geoff, who had been watching the gears turn however slowly in Michael’s head, and opened his mouth to say as much or maybe ask what time they were going to say goodbye to this paradise in a bubble. Geoff’s blue eyes glimmered the mirror of everything Michael thought he could say, and Michael shut his mouth, leaning over to rest his head on Geoff’s shoulder.  
  
“We can’t.”  
  
Michael let out a whistling breath through his nose, “We could. We won’t, though.”  
  
“There’s more. There’s more, y’know. Than this.” Geoff said, gesturing out to the ocean as if the endless aqua in front of them wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Maybe it wasn’t.  
  
“Maybe.”  
  
“Michael.” Geoff said, glancing down to Michael where his head still rested on Geoff’s shoulder.  
  
Michael didn’t look up, just swallowed another gulp of sweet-salty air, “I’ve never- this is- this is dumb but like. I dunno, I’ve never been _this_ happy y’know?”  
  
Geoff nodded, though he’d stopped quantifying happiness when the disappointed measuring cups too long sat below the shortest line, “That doesn’t mean it’s all downhill from here.”  
  
“It might.”  
  
“It won’t.”  
  
“But it might.”  
  
“Michael.” Geoff said, shrugging Michael’s head off of his shoulder so he could stand in front of him, attempting to catch his glassy eyes.  
  
“Geoffrey.” Michael said, cheerless smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.  
  
“I love you.”  
  
“I know. I love you too.”  
  
“I love you, and there’s _so_ much more for you than a beautiful beach in November.” Geoff said, and Michael finally met his gaze, the slightly silhouetted form of this stupidly striking guy he’d fallen for, reflections of shimmery water drawing lines on his body while the sunset tried to outshine him from behind.  
  
“Will we come back?” Michael asked.  
  
“Whenever you want.” Geoff said, “In fact, let’s go pack up your shit and-,” Michael burst into laughter, “I’m serious! We’ll move into this house, we’ll commute four hours every day, it’ll be fuckin’ great!”  
  
Michael laughed himself into Geoff’s embrace, pressed his cheek into Geoff’s damp chest and waited for Geoff’s arms to engulf him in an inky tide. Geoff chuckled pressed his nose into frizzy curls like loose threads.  
  
“I do love you, Geoff.”  
  
Geoff intertwined his fingers with Michael’s, kissed his seaspray-salted knuckles. Michael smiled, and Geoff hoped that he believed him. Or would believe him, eventually.  
  
“HEY ARSEHOLES, GET A MOVE ON!” Gavin hollered from the shore, and they rolled their eyes and walked back to where they had apparently gathered a bit of a crowd- the boys watching them, having already packed up the cars to leave.  
  
“Some of us are trying to treasure our memories, jackass,” Geoff said as they dried off with towels that Ryan tossed at them.  
  
“We’ll come back. Spring break.” Jack said, and Geoff clutched his chest at the thought.  
  
“The beach is gonna look like a crime scene in March.” Geoff said.  
  
“Summer then. Whatever, we’ll come back! Don’t get so down about it.” Jack said, seemingly talking more to Michael than Geoff, who was the quietest he’d been all week.  
  
“Well lads, I s’pose-!” Gavin started, and Jeremy stopped him with a hand on his chest.  
  
“Sun’s going down.” Jeremy said, and they all turned to watch it disappear into the swallowing mouth of the ocean, always hungry, always waiting.  
  
Jeremy chuckled, and the guys turned to find him shucking first his shirt then shorts, then breaking into a full sprint before losing his underwear and jumping into the water.  
  
“Jeremy!” Ryan groaned, putting his head in his hands as he feebly picked up Jeremy’s clothes and shook the sand off them, “We already packed all the fucking towels!”  
  
“WOOO!” Jeremy yelled from the water.  
  
Gavin, Michael, and Ray exchanged eager glances before they were gunning it toward the water, pulling off clothes in a trail and eventually joining Jeremy’s naked state in the dark water. Geoff chuckled as he picked up items of clothing and piled them together, letting out a put-upon sigh like it was a chore as he pulled his shirt over his head and rid himself of the rest of his clothes before adding it to the pile.  
  
“Geoff. I’ve seen your dick way too many fucking times, dude.” Jack said to Geoff’s retreating form where he walked fully naked toward the water.  
  
“You’re welcome!” Geoff said, whether it was in response to Jack or to the guys in the water who screamed and shielded their eyes, it was unclear.  
  
“Yeah baby!” Michael goaded, and cackled uncontrollably when Geoff lifted him out of the water, screaming a laugh that begged mercy before he was tossed into the incoming wave.  
  
“WHO’S NEXT!?” Geoff yelled when Michael’s head popped out of the water, and Gavin screamed bloody murder when he caught Geoff’s eye.  
  
Ryan and Jack soon joined them, seemingly after a discussion of the pros and cons, eventually giving in after unpacking the towels and leaving them with the clothes.  
  
The guys pushed each other around in the water as it got colder and colder, splashing and screaming and fucking around beneath the sheen of a half-moon light. There was nothing but the sounds of their voices and the crashing waves for miles, making the wind feel like it had sound when it painted goosebumps over their skin in light but insistent brushstrokes. Their voices blended with chattering teeth and shivering words that took longer to work their way off of their tongues and into the dark. It felt joyous and impermanent, and when Geoff pulled Michael’s small body into his arms to warm him up, he could feel the fear of leaving this place shaking off of him.  
  
It felt like missing someplace before you’d gone from it.  
  
Geoff breathed out warm against the back of Michael’s neck, the promise or whisper or promise of a whisper that they’d be blue-lipped and grin-aching and love-hazed and naked with friends again.  
  
**  
  
The road found Michael shrouded in Geoff’s sweater and blanket, and definitely in someone else’s underwear. In the dark they’d pulled on whatever clothes they got their hands on first, somehow leaving everyone in someone else’s shirt, and Gavin without pants entirely, much to everyone’s amusement.  
  
Most everyone’s lips had gone a little blue, but Michael had gotten the worst of it, shivering so badly that Geoff had to help him get dressed, had put the heat on high in the car and hugged him into his side as he drove.  
  
Michael didn’t feel too bad, despite everyone’s worry. He felt like when he was at a friend’s pool all day when he was young, staying in for too long and crying when they told him it was time to go home. As soon as he’d left the water, the air had gotten warmer, and his mom had bought him cheetos to sate him on the ride home. They would get soggy in his still-damp and wrinkled finger tips, and Michael would let them melt into nothing on his tongue.  
  
Now being in water long always made him want cheetos.  
  
“Geoff.”  
  
“Yeah, baby?”  
  
“Can we get snacks when we get home?”  
  
Geoff cracked a smile, “Absolutely.”  
  
**  
  
The air felt stale back in Austin, chilly with a hint of humidity, the sidewalks dark like it had been raining. It was November, still, Geoff had to remind himself, pulling time and space back into the living room of his mind, to-do lists inside the fridge of his mind-kitchen, not to be looked at quite yet.  
  
He had term papers to write and finals to put off studying for and life to get back to, if it could be called that. The bittersweet of it all was acidic in his gumline, and he looked at Michael’s slackened features in sleep resting on his lap and felt the sweet was stronger than the bitter.  
  
He pulled into the driveway of his apartment and leaned back against the headrest for a minute, trying to convince himself to wake Michael, to no such avail. Geoff scrunched his face up to himself, opened the driver’s side door and took a preparing breath as he carefully gathered Michael into his arms and stepped out of Ryan’s car. Michael, being easily the heaviest sleeper Geoff has ever known second only to Jack or himself, didn’t even flinch at the cold air as Geoff carried him bridal style into the apartment building.  
  
Geoff braced himself as he made his way up the treacherous fucking stairs, stopping midway to lean against a wall and catch his breath. He finally made it to his door and prayed that Ryan had already been dropped off as he knocked.  
  
Michael was still completely out, even drooling a bit, and Geoff was just happy he didn’t have to wake him up and remind him of reality yet.  
  
Ryan answered the door in just his boxers, looking annoyed and disheveled and like he wished them both dead. He blinked at them vaguely like he didn’t think it was worth the effort it would take to put words together to say something about what was happening. He turned and walked away when Geoff flashed his sheepish smile.  
  
“Mm,” Michael mumbled when Geoff settled him into bed, pushing his face into the scratchy fabric of Geoff’s pillowcase and then smiling.  
  
Geoff combed his hair away from his face with a gentle hand and closed his eyes for a second before moving to shut off the light and close the door behind him as he exited the room.  
  
“I don’t think I’ll ever get all the sand out of my hair,” Ryan said, startling Geoff for a second.  
  
Geoff chuckled, “Between uh- between you, me, and Michael we probably have enough sand on us to make our very own beach in the apartment.”  
  
Ryan let out a low laugh, “Maybe we should.”  
  
Geoff shook his head and went to grab a diet coke from the fridge, shooting Ryan a thankful expression when he turned on the TV and put the volume on low. Geoff sat next to him on the couch and stared blankly at the screen while he tried to put together what day it was and what bullshit in his life would take priority. After a minute or so it occurred to him that Ryan had been speaking, and he turned toward him slightly as he caught the tail end of it.  
  
“… so we were thinking we could all make the drive together.”  
  
“Sorry- what?” Geoff asked.  
  
“Unless you guys aren’t into that, that’s fine too.” Ryan said with a lazy shrug of his shoulders.  
  
“No I- uh- literally didn’t catch a word of that.” Geoff said, scrunching his nose up a bit as he did.  
  
Ryan rolled his eyes, “Well the long and short of it is, Jeremy and Ray are also heading up the east coast for Thanksgiving and Jack and I figured since everyone is ditching Austin for break, we might as well all go together.”  
  
“Oh. What?” Geoff said, still not having really comprehended a word.  
  
Ryan took a deep breath and tried to consolidate what he had said, “Jeremy. Ray. Are also on the east coast.”  
  
“Uh huh.” Geoff said.  
  
“We’ll save gas money.” Ryan said.  
  
“Alright- now I’m listening.” Geoff joked, and Ryan shoved him with a laugh.  
  
“Just talk to Michael about it.” Ryan said.  
  
“Sure.”  
  
“Michael’s cool with it,” came from behind them, and they both turned to find Michael, Geoff’s blanket still over his shoulders as he wiped the sleep from his eyes.  
  
“Hey, what are you doing up already?”  
  
Michael walked around and dropped himself onto the couch, curling into Geoff’s side, “Cold.”  
  
“Well steal my warmth why don’t you,” Geoff chuckled, rubbing Michael’s arm.  
  
Thanksgiving. Right. Geoff swallowed as he pictured a dinner table, maybe even with a table cloth reserved for special occasions, stained in small places with beer or wine or gravy. Worse still, he pictured Michael’s actual family- mom, sisters. Geoff hadn’t met anyone new in a formal setting in- well maybe never. He had met his ex-fiancée’s parents at some point he was sure, but he must’ve been blackout drunk at the time. Can’t even remember what the interior of her house looked like. No crutch this time, if you could call it that.  
  
“Stop thinking, I’m trying to sleep,” Michael mumbled, reaching up to splay his fingers over Geoff’s unshaven face, prickly.  
  
“Done and done.” Geoff said.  
  
**  
  
“You’re freaking me out with your nerves.” Michael said to Geoff a few days later, walking to the kitchen with the intention of calling his mother.  
  
“What? There are no nerves, I feel nothing, I’m totally apathetic.” Geoff said, jumping up onto the counter and sitting cross-legged facing the wall phone.  
  
“Yeah _totally_ pathetic.” Michael said, picking the phone up and sticking his tongue out affectionately.  
  
_“Ap-_ athetic.”  
  
“I’m dialing.” Michael said.  
  
“Oh my god.”  
  
“Geoff, please.” Michael said, and it was ringing.  
  
Geoff blinked and stared at the phone cord where Michael had twisted it around his forearm, making curly impressions in his skin where he tightened and loosened it with an absent finger. Geoff took solace in the inkling that Michael was nervous too, even if he was dead set on hiding it.  
  
“Hey ma, it’s Michael.”  
  
Geoff clenched one fist, his other hand coming up to pinch and pull idly at his bottom lip. He so wished that he could hear the other side of the fucking call, not just the muffled murmur through the fuzz of Michael’s curls.  
  
“I’m fine, yeah school’s whatever- listen, I uh. I’m coming up for Thanksgiving.” Michael said.  
  
“Yeah it’s- _yes_ ma, it’s fucking spectacular- yes. _Yes._ Ma. Please.” Michael pulled away from the phone a bit and mimed a _‘blah blah blah’_ gesture while Geoff caught just a bit of her voice, tinny on the receiver.  
  
“Ma. Mother. Gina. For fuck’s sake let me talk- can I- can I say something?”  
  
“Yeah? Okay,” Michael laughed, and then turned to Geoff with a smile, leaning back against the wall and raising his brows playfully, “I’m uh- I’m bringing somebody.”  
  
Geoff bit his lip as the muffled voice became louder and high-pitched from what he heard, and Michael let out another laugh, “Yeah, he uh- yes. Boyfriend. He’s my boyfriend.”  
  
Michael raised his eyebrows again and Geoff chuckled, blush creeping up his neck as Michael’s mom went on and on over the phone. Geoff would never consider himself as the kind of person you’d want to bring home to your parents, but Michael was sure as shit making him feel like he was that guy. It was a nice fantasy to feel part of, even if Michael’s mom were to become decidedly less excited when she meets him in person.  
  
“Yeah, he’s right here.” Michael said, eyes glinting as he glanced at Geoff again.  
  
“No-,” Geoff whispered, shying away as Michael approached him with the phone, “No no no no- Michael!”  
  
“Say hi!” Michael said into the mouthpiece, and then put the phone up to Geoff’s face.  
  
“Uh- hi- uh, Michael’s mom!” Geoff said, leaning away and frowning as Michael giggled and stole the phone away.  
  
“Yeah that was him.” Michael said, “Yes. I don’t- just- just wait a few days you can ask him yourself.”  
  
“Okay. Tell your hubby Jimmy I said drop dead. No? Well, that’s your choice. Seeya soon ma.” Michael said, already leaning away from the phone. Geoff hopped off the counter as he brought the phone back to his ear again, “Yeah. No, I’m still on the line, what is it?”  
  
Geoff wrapped his arms around Michael from behind, resting his chin on Michael’s shoulder and peppering kisses down his neck quietly. Michael chuckled distractedly as his mom continued speaking, trying not to laugh at the ticklish kisses, “Uh huh… _What!?”_ Michael burst, leaning out of Geoff’s grasp all at once and taking a few steps away.  
  
“And _nobody_ could fucking pick up the phone?? Well, shit. I- uh, well. Okay then. _Alright,”_ Michael shrugged and lightly banged a fist on the countertop, “Uh, bye.”  
  
“What was that about?” Geoff asked, directing the question to Michael’s shoulder blades where they had flexed enough to become prominent through the fabric of his t-shirt.  
  
“My uh. My sister’s pregnant.” Michael said.  
  
“No shit? Good for her. Or not?” Geoff said squinting as he attempted to gage Michael’s reaction.  
  
“Good, I think. I dunno. She’s like, due this month and it just slipped everyone’s mind to call, apparently.” Michael said, eyes on some spot behind Geoff as he shrugged once.  
  
“Oh wow.”  
  
“Yeah. Damn.” Michael said, looking at Geoff again, “I don’t know shit about babies, dude.”  
  
Geoff laughed, “Well it’s not _your_ baby, you don’t have to do anything.”  
  
“I’m gonna be an uncle.” Michael said.  
  
“Aw, Uncle Mikey,” Geoff teased, poking at Michael’s side and chuckling as he flinched away.  
  
“Do not- christ- do not say Mikey.”  
  
“Alright, touchy.” Geoff chuckled, pulling Michael into another embrace and then standing back to look at him again, “You okay?”  
  
“Yeah. Just weird I guess. Gotta shake it off.” Michael said.  
  
“I can help with that.” Geoff said with a raised brow.  
  
Michael’s eyes refocused and he let out a laugh when he saw Geoff’s expression, “Yeah, I fucking bet you can, you nympho- _Geoffrey!”_ he yelled out when Geoff hoisted him up off of the ground and over his shoulder.  
  
“What, you thought you were just gonna get away with calling me a nympho without any consequences?” Geoff asked, his voice heavy with effort and amusement.  
  
“Put me down, oh my god I’m gonna- fall, GEOFF!” Michael squealed as Geoff dropped him onto his mattress.  
  
“Oh you just wanted to get down, that’s cool. I’ll join you,” Geoff said, and then dropped himself fully onto Michael, relaxing so that he was dead weight on top of him.  
  
“Geoff- oh my god- you’re crushing me you maniac!” Michael laughed out, wriggling around from beneath him.  
  
“Well how else are we both supposed to fit on your mattress at the same time? Fucking- shitty dorm twin size bed.” Geoff said, patting the offending item as he spoke.  
  
“Your bed is a twin too!” Michael yelled.  
  
“Yeah, but yours is smaller.” Geoff mumbled.  
  
Michael let out a final gasp and then shoved Geoff off of him onto the ground next to the bed, catching his breath before he spoke, “You just miss the king mattress from the island.”  
  
Geoff groaned at the impact, thankful for the carpet beneath him, despite how thin it was, “Yeah. We should go back just to steal the mattress.”  
  
_“What?_ We could _never_ do that Geoff.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah, you’re right.” Geoff sighed, staring at the ceiling and thinking about how much it cost to get a decent mattress.  
  
“How would we get it to fit in the car?” Michael added, and Geoff grinned.  
  
He sat up and looked at Michael’s tickled expression, and climbed back on the bed to kiss his stupid face, “I love you, you know that?”  
  
“I think I do. Wait can you say it again, I have to double check in the back for that one.” Michael said, blinking at Geoff in faux-confusion.  
  
“I’m uh- I’m looking for a twin sized I love you.” Geoff said, imitating the voice of a hopeless customer, eyes downcast and embarrassed.  
  
“Right, okay just checked. I love you too is in stock.” Michael said, and then smiled widely.  
  
“It fucking- it better be.” Geoff said, and then pushed Michael onto the mattress to kiss him senseless again.  
  
Michael giggled into the kisses and didn’t think about how- though this was helping him to get out of the mini funk the phone call had thrown him into- he was still nervous about his family and how exactly this was gonna down. Didn’t think about how he wasn’t truly nervous until after that phone call. Didn’t think about how so many new things would only make it easier for something to go wrong.  
  
Nope. He didn’t think about any of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello readers! took an unexpected hiatus there, sorry for not warning you!
> 
> still, i hope you enjoyed this chapter!!! 
> 
> As always let me know you liked it by leaving a lovely little kudos if you haven't already, and tell me what you think in the comments! ♥
> 
> EDIT: holy shit i reached 100k on this fic, which officially means this is well on its way to being the new longest fic i've ever written!!!


	25. Chapter 25

Geoff would say he was pleased to be back in Ryan’s meticulously-kept car again- he _would,_ if it weren’t for all the extra knees and elbows knocking into his soft spaces over and over again. Not that he minded being squeezed so closely next to Michael, but the kid had sharp elbows, and Geoff’s gut was cruisin’ for a bruisin’. He maneuvered their limbs this way and that, looking for somewhere between annoyingly close and comfortably cozy. He ended up pulling Michael’s legs over his lap and throwing an arm over his shoulders with a huff of frustration- finally able to breathe without considering dislocating his shoulder to squeeze them together better.  
  
Michael let out a low chuckle and crossed his ankles delicately, “You okay there, Geoff?”  
  
Geoff nodded, lips pressed into a thin line as he tried to gather his patience again. He had offered to drive, but in the end it was Ryan’s car and Ryan had just laughed at the suggestion. Geoff didn’t blame him, it was a pretty transparent scam, but he couldn’t help but seethe with jealousy at Ryan comfortably spread out in the front seat beside Jeremy.  
  
Gavin’s knobby knee knocked into Jack’s shin for the umpteenth time, and Jack piped up, “Is it too late to turn back and have an orphan’s thanksgiving in Austin?”  
  
“Yeah.” Geoff said, turning toward where Jack was pressed against the opposite door, “But it’s not too late for you to open the door on the highway and make a jump for it.”  
  
“… I’ll consider it.” Jack mumbled, shoving at Gavin’s cramped form in the footwell.  
  
Geoff hummed a laugh, “Just remember- tuck and roll.”  
  
“At least you’re on a seat,” Gavin moaned, rubbing his leg where Jack had sought retaliation, “I’m dead for sure if Ryan cocks up.”  
  
“I’m not gonna fuck up. Jesus, you guys whine for fucking _everything.”_ Ryan whined, and the rest of the guys rolled their eyes in near unison in the backseat.  
  
Ray smirked, “We forgot to get snacks.”  
  
“I might have to piss real soon.” Michael added, stifling a chuckle.  
  
“Are we there yet?” Geoff asked, blinking innocently, and Ryan slammed his fists on the steering wheel.  
  
“SHUT UP!” he yelled.  
  
“Great idea, Jack, this is really bringing us all closer together.” Ray said monotonously.  
  
“Yeah,” Gavin said, when Jack scoffed, “All our _blood_ and _guts_ are gonna be closer together when we crash.”  
  
_“No one_ is crashing _anything!”_ Jeremy and Ryan said at the same time, and the guys could practically groan at the look they shared.  
  
“Ryan’s right, guys c’mon,” Michael chuckled, elbowing Ray as he added, “We’ll all be closer together in _prison_ when we get pulled over and they find Ray’s weed.”  
  
“Don’t even joke about that shit dude, oh my god.” Ray mumbled.  
  
Michael shook his head with a small laugh, “Ray, I was joking.” Michael paused when Ray said nothing, “Did you- did you fucking bring weed?”  
  
“No.” Ray said, blinking quickly and glancing away.  
  
“I’ll kill you, you stupid son of a bitch, did you bring weed?” Michael asked, leaning in even further though they were already crushed together between Jack and Geoff.  
  
Ray dropped the ruse, crossing his arms defensively as he said, “We made it through the checkpoint in one piece, there’s nothing to worry about!”  
  
“Ray, you god damn fucking idiot, C’MERE, _I’LL KILL YOU!”_ Michael shouted, hands grabbing for Ray’s hoodie and nearly making their mark before Geoff and Jack started yelling as well and intervened, Geoff gathering Michael’s wrists in hand and Jack pulling Ray almost completely into his lap.  
  
“STOOOOPPP!” Gavin screamed, and Michael was startled into giving pause, right up until Ryan started yelling.  
  
“I’M GONNA DROP EVERYONE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IF YOU DON’T _SHUT THE HELL UP!”_  
  
The car went quiet for a second, and then Michael scoffed, loosening himself of Geoff’s hold and settling back into his spot while Ray and everyone else did the same, retrieving whatever dignity is lost to being chastised by a friend. Michael met Geoff’s gaze and they spoke a silent conversation that went something like _Christ, what a prick._ and _Yeah, I know._  
  
“Way to kill the mood, Ryan,” Ray said, letting the guys chuckle an air of normalcy back into the car.  
  
“Don’t you fucking blame me, it’s like I’m driving a car full of god damn toddlers.” Ryan muttered, earning a soothing hand from Jeremy to the back if his tense neck  
  
“What did you _think_ you were signing up for?” Gavin asked, and Ryan said nothing.  
  
“I offered to drive!” Geoff started, biting back a smile, “But Ryan just ah- just too selfless! Didn’t want me to bear his burden or some- uh, some bullshit like that,” he went on, going as far as using air quotes around ‘bear his burden’ though Ryan couldn’t see him, “Even said- he said to me “I don’t think you can handle it Geoff,” like, wow. What a hero.”  
  
“Shut up, Geoff,” Ryan said in exasperation, the tension gone out of his shoulders like it was too much work for them to keep it up.  
  
Geoff hummed in answer, “How’s the elbow room, jackass?”  
  
“Spectacular.” Ryan deadpanned.  
  
“Thought so.” Geoff said, and the trip continued in this fashion.  
  
Geoff had found himself entirely too distractible as he attempted to keep his nose buried in _Jane Eyre_ in the hopes of discovering what the fuck his term paper on the book should cover. The road wasn’t exactly breathtaking, but it had been awhile since he’d chewed the landscape between Texas and the rest of the East coast, and it was haunting him with memories of this or that, brushed away like dead june bugs at the end of August. They were long past the still warm lush green of Texas and well into- wherever the fuck this was, passing silhouettes of bluish cities they’d never come to know and the small farmlands where cattle thought nothing of the interstate just feet away from them and the cud they gnawed. It got incrementally cooler until it was just plain cold, a layer of wanting for body heat draped over the car and had them huddling together unconsciously where they had before craned their necks and strained muscles attempting to keep a distance.  
  
Gavin had brought his Game Boy, though, and that helped to give the rest of them an excuse to squish cheek-to-cheek over his shoulders as he played _Super Mario Land._ And died. Frequently. But Geoff was trying not to know this as his eyes bounced over the words on the page like a fucking sing-along movie, tracing back when he couldn’t recall what the page had been about. He about lost all patience when Michael all but ripped the Game Boy out of Gavin’s useless fingers to give it a go. The game was much more interesting when they weren’t re-watching the same fifteen seconds over and over again.  
  
“But, Mi-cool,” Gavin pouted, giving it no more effort than that, assumingly because he knew how bad he was, and saw how much better Michael was already.  
  
Even in this Geoff soon lost interest, letting his head lean against the window and vibrate in time with the bumps on the road as he tried not to think about anything. It was an active process, and one he’d become invested in taking part in. It felt like meditation, but Geoff liked to think of it as coming closer and closer to become catatonic on command, like sleeping with his eyes open and not having a dream to speak of. He was dogshit at it.  
  
This he knew, though he tried to press the mental white-out liquid into his brain, feebly and unsuccessfully. _Too much color in the noggin’,_ he’d think to himself, _can’t undo that one._ A brain tattooed in thoughtful color.  
  
So of course, he thought about Michael and this trip, and what it might be like to be the tail end of the joke _Guess who’s coming to dinner?_ He absently hoped it wouldn’t be too hectic, but in the wake of a life lived under the bed of the boogey monster called Low Expectations, he couldn’t help but imagine how he’d escape the worst case scenario. Jack would be in New York with Gavin and Ray, and that’s the fastest he could get himself and Michael to somewhere safe. Geoff clenched his jaw at even the prospect of needing to escape, felt maybe it was a premature safety net- after all, Michael’s mom had seemed excited about the whole thing on the phone.  
  
He couldn’t help it- in theaters he looked for the fire exits, in his teen years he waited by the door until his parents were asleep, in his relationships he clung to the thing that he believed would end it all- he was a god damn escape artist. Born and bred. So his gut feelings weren’t necessarily the word of god, and he always kept his eyes on the door. Maybe everything would be great, but in case they weren’t Geoff would at least know where to run.  
  
It would probably be fine.  
  
With that thought he reeled in the rest of the line, pressed a kiss to Michael’s temple and pressed his nose firmly into the spine of a different book he brought for pleasure reading, until he’d quite fallen asleep in it.  
  
**  
  
A cool hand high on his thigh roused him from sleep, and when he opened his eyes he found himself under a soft blanket with Michael- who was, of course, the one with a hand on his leg. He looked at Michael in question and was met only with a shushing gesture as his hand drifted toward his crotch. Geoff inhaled sharply, and Michael raised an eyebrow as he palmed Geoff teasingly through his pants.  
  
Geoff could only try to control his breathing as he looked around the car- Jack and Ray asleep, while Gavin was fully immersed in failing at _Mario,_ and Ryan and Jeremy were invested in a quiet discussion they were having in the front seat. Geoff looked to Michael again, who just shrugged nonchalantly and leaned in to kiss at Geoff’s neck while he put more pressure on Geoff’s hardening cock.  
  
Geoff let his head fall back against the headrest a little harshly when Michael worked his cock out of the confines of his jeans, biting his lip in an attempt to hold back whatever primal noise was curling at the base of his throat. Michael was no help, biting and sucking quietly at his sensitive neck while he stroked Geoff to full hardness. He thumbed the head of Geoff’s cock as he began to leak precome, slowly working it down his shaft and then up again, torturously.  
  
“This okay?” Michael whispered into Geoff’s ear, the breathiness of his words sending tingles up Geoff’s spine. He nodded, and Michael leaned in to kiss him briefly, teasing him with his tongue before stealing away again, pretending to just lean heavily on him as he picked up the pace.  
  
Geoff squirmed beneath his touch, catching the brief eye of Gavin who considered them idly for just a second before going back to his game. Michael was too cocky, his hand movements starting to become visible under the blanket as he became entranced with watching Geoff struggle to hold everything back. To Geoff’s credit, he was using every ounce of self-control to stop from thrusting into Michael’s teasing hand, from yanking Michael into his lap and ravaging him, fuck all else.  
  
He closed his eyes and imagined doing just that- pulling Michael’s pants out of the way and taking them both in hand, having him blushing while the guys protested in vain, giving in to the spectacle Michael made for Geoff whenever they were alone and turning it into a sideshow on their road trip. The unbelievable eroticism of guilty hands pressing into jeans while he turned Michael into a mess, so bad that Ryan’s car would never be the same.  
  
So bad that every time someone set foot in the car they’d feel the burning embarrassment of what they’d been witness to, be helplessly turned on even on a quick commute. Geoff turned to Michael, who was biting his lip something awful as he watched Geoff sweat, like he could hear his every thought. He breathed hotly against the side of Michael’s face and then hauled him in for a kiss as he came into Michael’s palm, forcing his hips to keep still as his face went pink with white hot pleasure, pulling away from Michael’s mouth before it became all too much.  
  
Michael cleared his throat as they settled as inconspicuously as they could back against the seat, Michael’s face a brushstroke of blush as Geoff could read on his face him trying to figure out what to do with a handful of Geoff’s come.  
  
Geoff chuckled silently and looked out the window away from the little display of, _“Fuck I didn’t think that through,”_ before he broke into hysterics. He was ready to find out later that Michael had wiped his hand on Ryan’s car seat, or on the blanket, but Michael tapped on his shoulder before he could lean into either scenario.  
  
Geoff turned in time to find Michael blatantly kitten-licking at the palm of his hand, broad strokes of his tongue doing the work for him until there was nothing left. Geoff watched in abject arousal, grinding his teeth at the piece of work Michael was. His dick threatened to get hard again, and he caught Michael’s chin with a warm hand and licked into his mouth, kissing the breath out of him. Geoff’s other hand drifted below the blanket, where Michael was definitely hard, but he pushed Geoff away and shook his head as they broke the kiss.  
  
When Geoff looked at him in question, Michael quietly and simply mumbled, _“Punishment.”_  
  
As if Geoff’s cock could try any harder to rejoin the party.  
  
Ryan turned down the radio and pulled them out of their exchange as he turned vaguely behind him and then back to the road, saying, “Gavin, are they all still asleep?”  
  
Geoff and Michael turned to Gavin, whom they had definitely forgot about, only to find him staring at them with wide eyes and a beet red face. Geoff scrunched his face up in realization and Michael just smirked, mouthing the words, _“Enjoy the show?”_  
  
“Yep. Still asleep. Everyone is definitely still asleep.” Gavin choked out eventually.  
  
Michael curled into Geoff’s side, and they did just that.  
  
**  
  
Geoff woke to a soft hand- Michael’s again- this time holding his shoulder inside the car while another opened the door he had been leaning against. The cold air hit him all at once and he flinched as he blinked his eyes open to a neighborhood blanketed it snow.  
  
“Holy shit.” Geoff said, voice a cloud in the nighttime air.  
  
“Welcome back to Jersey, baby,” Michael said, and then shoved Geoff out of the car.  
  
Geoff stumbled, hugging himself to preserve warmth and then hugging Michael as he looked up at the house they had stopped in front of. Michael gave him his backpack and put an arm around his shoulders, unaffected by the freezing air.  
  
“I thought we were getting dropped off last,” Geoff said, still staring at the house.  
  
“Geoff please.” Michael said, “You’re embarrassing yourself.”  
  
Geoff turned to Michael’s amused expression with a squint, “Are you gonna be mean now just because we’re in your homeland?”  
  
“Mean? Baby, I am _so_ fucking nice!” Michael said.  
  
Geoff huffed, “Fuckin’- when is the rest of the country gonna catch on to southern hospitality?”  
  
“You’re gonna love my mother.” Michael replied quietly and Geoff turned to him.  
  
“Wh- what the fuck does that mean?” Geoff asked, and Michael just shrugged.  
  
“Alright boys!” Gavin hollered, “Get your shit and get out, we’re losing heat here.”  
  
“Thanks for the ride boys,” Geoff said, leaning in the passenger side window to flip them off while Michael got the rest of their things out of the car.  
  
“We’re not coming back for you.” Ryan said cheerily.  
  
“I expect nothing less.” Geoff replied.  
  
“Happy Thanksgiving!” Jack yelled, and with that they peeled away into the brownish slurry of melting snow in the streets.  
  
Geoff turned to Michael, who was grinning through a laugh, and Geoff felt breathless all at once. He looked gorgeous against the pallor of the snow, his skin aglow against it and his mouth a chapped reddish-pink that Geoff could die for. How he longed to wet Michael’s mouth with his kiss was an ache that he could barely stand in the moment of it. He glanced around and considered it for a moment- but only a moment.  
  
Michael giggled his response, “What?”  
  
“I love you.” Geoff said, and his words had never been so physical as to float in the air between them, like smoke of the fire burning in Geoff’s heart.  
  
“What did I do this time?” Michael asked with a smile.  
  
Geoff opened his mouth vaguely as he looked Michael up and down, “You uh- you jerked me off in Ryan’s car and then looked like _that_ after like two fucking days of driving.”  
  
“Geoff, I look like shit.” Michael chuckled, ruffling his curls self-consciously.  
  
Geoff pulled Michael into the embrace of one arm, “If you’re what shit looks like I’m uh- I’m gonna have to have a fuckin’ talk with myself about how I really feel about toilets.”  
  
“You- what?” Michael laughed out.  
  
“I wanna kiss you so bad.” Geoff whispered into the warmth of Michael’s temple.  
  
“Yeah, well we’re standing right outside my house, let’s just go in.” Michael said, leading them up the steps.  
  
Geoff couldn’t move, pulled on Michael’s sleeve before he could ascend another step, “Wait-,”  
  
“What’s up?”  
  
“I’m- I’m. Fuck, I’m nervous?” Geoff admitted, running his fingers through his hair and regretting he hadn’t looked in the sideview mirror before Ryan had taken off. He hadn’t even thought he was actually nervous because he was so sure that something would fuck up that it hadn’t occurred to him to be afraid of that outcome. But he was. And it felt so totally not punk but maybe it was punk to admit it. He pulled his leather jacket around himself tighter like a shield and kicked at the snow.  
  
Michael considered him briefly and then took a step closer before saying quietly, “Then be nervous. You can’t just stop being nervous, all you can do is play it out and see if that fucking helps. You know?”  
  
“You’re so eloquent.” Geoff said, hand fighting the urge to touch Michael’s cheek.  
  
“Yeah, well you’re the one who wanted to go steady.” Michael chuckled.  
  
“I’d do it again too motherfucker.” Geoff said as Michael started up the steps again.  
  
“Geoff.”  
  
“Michael.”  
  
“Let’s do this.” Michael said, holding up his house key.  
  
“Okay.”  
  
“And hey, I love you too.” Michael said, and Geoff felt a degree of tension leave his body.  
  
“Here we go.”  
  
They entered the house rather unceremoniously, just bringing their bags in and setting them by the door while Geoff tried to calm his heart by taking in the surroundings that Michael had grown up in. Humble means, but still more than Geoff had ever had- he briefly wondered when he would stop comparing his upbringing to everyone’s. The defensiveness had been worn into his skin, and when he saw the old leather recliner by the couch in front of the television, he saw a flash of his father’s own recliner, cheap corduroy or velvet. He can’t remember the fabric. He wasn’t allowed to sit in it.  
  
“MA!” Michael yelled out, thankfully pulling Geoff out of it. He cursed himself and his fucking issues, not here, not now. “I’M HOME!”  
  
“Do ya have to yell?” Michael’s mom said as she walked into the room, and Geoff let out a chuckle.  
  
“Yes mother, I do have to yell, or we’d be in the house for hours before you realized anything.” Michael said as she approached him, leaning in to kiss his cheek. Geoff smiled, small all at once.  
  
“And what’s wrong with that?” she said, voice that smoke-heavy that Geoff knew very well.  
  
Michael rolled his eyes, “Just- don’t you wanna meet my boyfriend or whatever?”  
  
“This is him!” she said, looking at Geoff like she hadn’t noticed him before.  
  
“Uh, yeah- yes, Boyfriend Or Whatever- that’s me.” Geoff said with a small wave, mentally hitting himself for the bad joke.  
  
“I’m Gina.” she said, small as she was, she was incredibly intimidating. He could feel her eyes assessing him even as he pretended not to notice that.  
  
“So I’ve heard- Geoff.”  
  
“Geoff, you seem skittish.” Geoff could scream, only leaning in to the mechanisms that tipped her off and then wanting to scream even more at that.  
  
“You just met him. Like right now.” Michael said defensively, and Geoff really wasn’t the tough one between the two of them. Eyes downcast and visibly nervous smile taking over for any outward expression of grief.  
  
“What, like I don’t have a mother’s intuition?” she shot back.  
  
“First I’m hearing of it.”  
  
Geoff finally got his mouth to say words, “Just the cold. Been in Texas a long while I guess.”  
  
“Right.” she said, letting the word sit before she turned with a gesture to the rest of the house, “Well, make yourselves at home.”  
  
“Where’s whatshisface?” Michael said as they picked up their bags.  
  
“Your step-father is on a business trip, he’s at the Austin house.”  
  
“Ew don’t fucking- he’s not my step-father or whatever.” Michael called after her.  
  
She stopped and turned in her trek, assumingly toward her bedroom, “You’re such a brat- Jimmy then. He’s in Austin.”  
  
“Will he be joining us?” Michael asked, and Geoff could hear the hopeful note in his tone.  
  
“We’ll see.”  
  
That was the last of what she said before she disappeared down a hallway adjacent to the staircase that Geoff and Michael ascended, bags already damp from the melted snowflakes they’d caught. Michael led them to a room at the end of a hall and then closed them in the darkness before Geoff could even finish processing the exchange they’d had with his mother- Gina. Mrs. Jones? Mrs. Jimmy’s wife?  
  
“Uh, this is my room.” Michael said sheepishly in the dark, and Geoff was reinvigorated with the excitement of seeing the room that had grown Michael. He put his hands on Michael’s shoulders as he went to turn the lights on.  
  
“Wait I’m so fucking excited. Okay, okay, go for it.”  
  
The lights went on and Geoff looked around in wonder, and whatever he was expecting, he was not let down. An entire wall was plastered with band posters, high school photos, license plates, and pages that had been ripped out of magazines. There was a dartboard behind his door, a small TV on a desk facing the bed, and writing all over the only mirror in the room. Geoff wanted to pick it all apart and have Michael’s story unfolded unto him, but just the room as a whole spoke volumes.  
  
“Michael-,”  
  
“Shut up, okay I was like sixteen, and I just. I don’t know.” Michael said, running a hand through his hair idly.  
  
“Michael this is fucking fantastic.” Geoff laughed out, pulling Michael into his arms to comfort the embarrassment Michael was pretending he wasn’t feeling.  
  
“It’s just posters. It’s nothing.” Michael mumbled.  
  
“It’s not nothing, I bet it took a long time.” Geoff said, moving to stand closer to the poster wall. His eyes found a picture of Michael, young face still plump with baby fat and rosy cheeks, glaring at the camera like it was all he could do to look cool. Another of him and his dog. Him and his father.  
  
Geoff could fucking burst into tears if he wasn’t so concerned with making Michael comfortable in all of this. He blinked away whatever was inside him and turned back to Michael who was looking away and trying not to feel like he hadn’t exposed his entire soul to Geoff by letting him into this private space. A space used for growth and experimentation and discovery. By letting Geoff see it he’d said, “Here I am. I trust you.”  
  
“I love it.” Geoff said delightedly, and pulled Michael into his arms, kissing his face until it returned to the happy laughing lover Geoff had been with outside.  
  
“Okay, I get it. I didn’t like- I dunno. I’m glad you like it.” Michael said.  
  
Geoff shed his jacket and sat on Michael’s bed, holding Michael’s hands and maneuvering him in between the V of his legs. Michael was still spaced out, and Geoff tried to bring him back down to earth and away from the vulnerable feelings of high school.  
  
“Have you ever had a boyfriend in here before?”  
  
Michael shook his head no, still looking away.  
  
“Hey, hey look at me.”  
  
Michael looked down at him, nodding to himself vaguely and swallowing away some thought or another.  
  
“Baby, I’m not here to judge you or your family or your room. Or you. I love you, I love all of it. I’m just happy you let me in here, okay?” Geoff said, soothing his thumbs over Michael’s hands.  
  
“I hope so.” Michael said, voice tight, “I want you to be.”  
  
A tear swept down Michael’s cheek and he wiped at it quickly with a sleeve. Geoff pulled him into his lap with concern burning in his chest.  
  
“Do you wanna talk about it?” Geoff asked quietly, letting Michael breathe through it.  
  
“Not really, I just. I miss my dad.” Michael said, his last words muffled as he pressed his face into the cushion of Geoff’s chest.  
  
Geoff ran his hands through Michael’s curls and choked down the sadness that he felt for Michael, the idea that any pain could ever touch him. “That’s okay. We have to miss people sometimes, to remind us that they were here.”  
  
Geoff felt the movement of Michael nodding against his chest and held him tighter. He leaned away and sniffed, shaking his head.  
  
Michael cleared his throat, “Sorry I’m- I’m making a mess of all this, I-,”  
  
“Don’t fucking apologize, this is what I’m here for. Okay?”  
  
“Yeah, okay.” Michael said.  
  
Geoff could feel Michael wanting to work them out of the atmosphere he felt he’d created, and Geoff couldn’t let him wallow in it. Even if it wasn’t his fault.  
  
Geoff let out a low breath and said, “So you’ve never had a boy in here?”  
  
“Oh I’ve had- I’ve had boys in here just not. Boyfriends.” Michael said, breaking from his state.  
  
“What about boys who weren’t boyfriends, and weren’t friends?” Geoff asked, raising his eyebrows mischievously.  
  
Michael chuckled, “Are you asking me if I fucked anyone in here?”  
  
“Maybe.” Geoff shrugged.  
  
Michael nodded with a chuckle, “Okay. Then, maybe.”  
  
“Michael Jones! How scandalous.”  
  
“Yeah, however scandalous it is to let guys use you then act like it never happened.” Michael said with a grin and a shake of his head.  
  
“Sounds familiar.” Geoff said, pointing to himself.  
  
“Really?”  
  
Geoff nodded, and they quieted for a moment like they were recalling different moments. “Tell me one.”  
  
“It’s not that interesting.” Michael said, but Geoff could see it forming behind his eyes.  
  
“Tell me the most interesting of the uh- the not interesting ones.”  
  
“Well, there was a Will.” Michael said, and Geoff tried the name on his tongue.  
  
“Will. Sounds hot.”  
  
“We came back from some grad party, we were drunk I guess. He wanted to crash at my place because his parents would kill him- y’know? If they saw how trashed, he was.” Michael said, moving to sit next to Geoff on the bed.  
  
“Mhm.” Geoff encouraged.  
  
“He took off his shirt when he got in my room, he was sweaty. He was like, really fit. Threw himself on my bed and like, moaned. I had to pretend to fuck around with my closet for a while to like, get it together.” Michael said, glancing at the said closet.  
  
“Cute.” Geoff said, imagining Michael before his confident streak.  
  
“I turn around and his hand is like. Resting on his dick. I go to sit next to him on the bed and he started telling me about some sex dream he’d had, I don’t even remember- some like, girl in our graduating class. I couldn’t stop staring, he was like pressing his hips up against his hand y’know?” Michael said, laying back on the bed as he continued recounting the story, thumb slipping beneath the waistband of his pants as he idly played with the hem.  
  
“Yeah.” Geoff said, laying back with him.  
  
“I’m like shaking, but I’m just like- whatever, gotta go for it right? School’s over, we’re eighteen like- why the fuck not?” Michael said, eyes glazing over, “I slip my hand under his and grip his dick, and he like moans- but like he’s embarrassed. Like he didn’t know I knew he was hard.” Michael started to undo his pants as he spoke, and Geoff watched with anticipation.  
  
“So I put his hand on my dick like- we’re both hard. Even steven. And he kinda looks at me and said like, “You have pretty eyes… kinda like a girl” and I’m just nodding, and then- I don’t know, he’s on top of me. And we’re just grinding, and it kinda hurts, but it’s _so good.”_ Michael had pulled his cock out and was stroking himself, slowly, teasingly, losing himself in it so much that he’d lost his place in the story. Geoff didn’t care anymore.  
  
Geoff shoved Michael’s pants further down his legs and moved him properly onto the bed while he shucked his own jeans. Michael’s hand was replaced with Geoff’s, and he moaned at the rough grip, the way Geoff leaned in to bite hungrily at his neck. Geoff aligned their hips and thrusted against him, taking them both in hand and hissing at the slick slide of them.  
  
“Did he fuck you?” Geoff asked breathlessly, and Michael shook his head, “Did you want him to?”  
  
Michael said nothing for a second while Geoff continued to stroke them both together, until finally he nodded, letting out a gasp as Geoff thumbed at the head of his cock messily. Geoff spit on his hand and gripped them again, letting out a broken moan as he fucked them into the circle of his fist.  
  
“Do you want me to fuck you?”  
  
_“Please,”_  
  
Geoff leaned off the side of the bed to rummage through their bags until he came up with lube and a condom. He tapped at Michael’s hips until he got the hint to kick off his jeans and turn over onto all fours, moaning at the press of Geoff’s fingers at his hole. Geoff sucked kiss-marks into Michael’s asscheeks as he prepped him quickly, eager to get them to where they wanted to be. Michael bit his lip and shoved his face into the comforter when Geoff got the third finger in, crooking to find his prostate.  
  
“Geoff, Geoff, please I’m ready,” Michael cried, and that’s all Geoff needed to hear.  
  
He rolled the condom over himself, drizzling lube liberally and then abandoning the bottle on the floor. He pressed slowly into Michael until Michael had enough waiting and slammed his hips back with a loud moan.  
  
“God, you fill me up _so fucking good,”_  
  
_“Fuck,”_ Geoff moaned, Michael’s tight heat a vice of pleasure.  
  
“Move, fuck, _move,”_ Michael begged, and Geoff complied.  
  
Geoff lifted his hips and then slammed back in, wrenching a moan from Michael that sounded delicious. Geoff repeated the gesture, doing so at a faster and faster pace until Michael was practically crying from how good it was.  
  
“Harder, _ohmygod,_ harder, fuck- _fuck me,”_  
  
“Yeah? You like that?”  
  
“Yes, yes, god- _please,”_ Michael whimpered, biting his lip and getting a hand around his cock and stroking as fast as he dared.  
  
“Oh fuck, I’m gonna come, Geoff- _Geoff, I’mgonnacome I’m- ah-!”_ Michael choked out, and then came, spasming as he stroked himself to completion, eyes shutting tight and mouth going slack with the force of it. _“Oh- oh,”_  
  
Geoff fucked into him even harder as Michael clenched around his cock, gripping Michael’s hips with a force he could barely stop himself from pressing.  
  
Michael let Geoff have him for however long he needed it, the rhythm of Geoff’s thrusts irresistible inside of him, stretching him so god damn good. He would normally suck Geoff off, or let him jerk it onto his chest, but this was too good to let slip. Geoff was insatiable, giving it to Michael like it was all he had.  
  
Michael felt his cock twitch when Geoff squeezed his asscheeks greedily, going in for a spank that jerked Michael so alluringly. He spanked again, and Michael choked out a gasp.  
  
_“Ah-ah,_ oh my god _Geoff-_ fuck,” Michael moaned as Geoff continued fucking into him, “Geoff- I’m- ohmygod _I’m getting hard again,”_  
  
“Fuck, _fuuuck,”_ Geoff groaned, his stomach swirling tighter with arousal, “could you- could you come again?”  
  
Michael whimpered, leaning down onto his forearms- yes, he was definitely fucking hard again holy shit, “I fuck- I think so- I don’t, oh my _fuck-,”_  
  
“Can you do it for me baby? Do you want me to suck you off? Get you all messy and wet so that you can come for me again? Come in my mouth? My face?” Geoff moaned, and Michael’s cock twitched again, leaking precome like crazy.  
  
_“Geoff-,”_  
  
“I know you can do it sweetheart, I know you have it all saved up for me- _fuck,”_ Geoff groaned out, and then came, pushing deep inside Michael as he did.  
  
_“Daddy-,”_ Michael all but sobbed, and Geoff pulled out and flipped him over, kissing him hungrily, licking away stray tears and biting his way down Michael’s neck and torso. He breathed a hot breath over Michael’s cock and Michael whined.  
  
“Don’t- don’t tease me,” Michael whispered, and then Geoff swallowed him down, letting Michael slip past his lips, brush the back of his throat. Michael swore and thrusted into the heat of his mouth. Geoff pulled back with a bit of a gag and let himself drool over Michael’s cock, sliding his mouth down the side of the shaft and then up again, licking repeatedly over the head of his cock and then moving down, hollowing his cheeks with the force of his suction. He leaned away and spit on his hand, using it in tandem with his mouth.  
  
“Oh my god, fuck _your mouth is so god damn good_ oh-,” Michael whimpered, oversensitivity killing him softly.  
  
Geoff moaned around his length, and Michael choked. Suddenly Geoff pressed wet fingers against Michael’s hole, and then pressed in.  
  
“I- you- fuck _fuck,_ I’m- _daddy, please,”_ Michael whimpered, sinking his hips down when Geoff fucked his fingers into him quickly, matching pace with his mouth on Michael’s length.  
  
“OH my- Geoff- _daddy,_ I’m- I’m coming again! _I’m-!”_ Michael moaned, and then arched off the bed with the force of it, vision going fucking white. Geoff pulled off in time to let his come land on his face, mouth, and then leaned in again to suck and fuck him through it, loving the way Michael convulsed with pleasure. He cleaned Michael’s soft cock with his mouth until Michael shoved him away at the sensitivity of it.  
  
Geoff moved up the bed after getting rid of the condom, idly swiping the come off of his face and sucking it off of his fingers.  
  
Michael was barely catching his breath when he opened his eyes to find Geoff doing so, chuckled tiredly and pulled Geoff’s face close to his and licking over it until he was satisfied. Geoff hummed a chuckle and Michael curled into his chest.  
  
“I don’t think I can ever move again.” Michael said hoarsely.  
  
“I can carry you.” Geoff said.  
  
“I fucking hope so ‘cause I’m not joking.” Michael said, and leaned into kiss Geoff softly for a while, just trading lazy kisses.  
  
“You were loud.” Geoff said when they broke apart.  
  
“Don’t worry, I’ve done it all up here. No one on the first floor can hear shit. Especially not her.” Michael said exasperatedly.  
  
“Mm,” Geoff said, and kissed Michael’s forehead, “Should we go to bed?”  
  
“I don’t think I have a choice,” Michael mumbled, eyes already fluttering closed.  
  
“Okay,” Geoff said with a smile, and helped get the comforter over top of them after getting rid of all their clothes.  
  
“I love you.” Michael mumbled.  
  
“I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk why this is so long! but we in jersey now baby!
> 
> Hope y'all liked this one, let me know in the comments what you think! Leave kudos if you haven't already!
> 
> ♥


	26. Chapter 26

Geoff groaned in his sleep, the cold wall against his arm reminding him that he wasn’t in his own bed, and as his opposite arm swept over the other side of the bed he was pulled to wakefulness by a distinct lack of Michael. He blinked open his eyes and turned to make sure Michael was actually missing and hadn’t just rolled onto the floor with half the sheets. He huffed when he confirmed that Michael was nowhere in the room and sat up, running his hands through his hair while glancing around for any sign of his bag.  
  
He spotted his beat up old duffel near the dresser and got up to stretch before going to look through it for something that said _Why no, Missus Michael’s Mom, I absolutely did not do the filthy and sinful deed of sex under your roof after exactly one night of being here, why do you ask?_ Of course, he almost exclusively owned clothes that said _Not only did I fuck your son, but I probably fucked your daughter too_ so he was shit out of luck in that department. Fortunately, Michael’s bag was sitting right there, and it had at least one or two of Geoff’s socially acceptable shirts. He slipped one of those on and a clean pair of jeans, and then set about trying to look like a functioning human person before finding his way downstairs.  
  
He looked briefly in Michael’s mirror, steadying himself as he mussed his hair this way and that by looking at the sharpied-in notes a teenaged Michael felt worthy of marring his mirror with. Noteworthy blurbs included _feed roscoe, dumbfuck_ and _88 days till freedom!_ in Michael’s neatest handwriting. Geoff chuckled to himself as he wondered what the last one was about, focusing on that rather than the low tremor that was rolling up his spine that he was attempting to shake off.  
  
The nervousness had returned, but Geoff had a tighter hold on the reins now. He let out sigh and blinked at his reflection until it felt like he was looking at someone else, “Take a fucking chill pill,” he mumbled to himself. With that he cracked his neck and set about hunting down Michael in this huge house with the full intention of pouting at Michael for leaving him to fend for himself when he found him.  
  
“Hey, you sleepyheaded fuck,” Michael said from the couch when Geoff finally made it down the stairs.  
  
“Hey-,” Geoff looked around briefly before continuing, “you fucking deserter.”  
  
“Whoa there asshole, I think I was pretty goddamn considerate thank you very much,” Michael said, crossing his arms and settling further into the couch.  
  
“Considerate? You left me to the wolves!” Geoff said, joining Michael on the couch as he rolled his eyes.  
  
“Oh okay, I’ll make note of that.” Michael cleared his throat and held his hand out like a notepad, “Note to self, "Next time, wake Geoff up at seven in the morning. Just jostle the shit out of him. Rip the sheets off and everything." Is that what you want, you adorable dipshit?”  
  
Michael turned to him with innocently blinking eyes, finger still pointing at his imaginary notepad as if scrawling more notes for Geoff’s imminent destruction. Geoff opened his mouth like there wasn’t already a foot or two in there and then closed it again in favor of taking Michael’s notepad hand and kissing his palm before giving his best I’m-an-ungrateful-asshole eyes.  
  
“I want to be awake whenever your awake,” Geoff offered, and Michael scoffed out a laugh, “But, obviously I love to sleep so thank you, my heart.”  
  
“Shut up, kiss-ass,” Michael mumbled from beneath pink cheeks, pulled Geoff in for a kiss and scrunched his nose at the morning breath. “I saved you some coffee.”  
  
“Oh fuck, I love you,” Geoff practically moaned as Michael handed off a steaming mug that said _Disneyland 1987_ beneath a picture of Donald and Daisy Duck.  
  
“Yeah yeah yeah,” Michael said.  
  
Geoff looked briefly toward the TV which was on the news talking about some bad weather that was headed for New Jersey and then turned back to Michael after he’d had a good few gulps of his coffee, “Where’s your mom? Also- what the fuck do I call her? It’s been bugging me.”  
  
“Just call her “small deaf woman” trust me.” Michael chuckled, and Geoff shook his head in amusement as Michael continued, “As for where she is, I’ll give ya one lucky guess.”  
  
Geoff winced, “Step-dad Jimmy guy?”  
  
“Ding ding ding! Yeah, you missed _that_ whole thing too, where she was trying to convince _me_ to pick him up from the airport. Can you believe?” Michael made a face and put down the remote.  
  
“Yikes.”  
  
“Like, since when is that my fucking job? Did _I_ marry him?” Michael said heatedly, and Geoff patted his knee soothingly.  
  
“Well, I’m uh- I’m glad that you didn’t go, somehow I don’t think I’d be as cheerful if it was just me and your mom out here.” Geoff said.  
  
“Yeah, you’re welcome by the way.” Michael chuckled.  
  
“Thank you,” Geoff said in his best adoring-boyfriend voice, leaning over to kiss Michael’s temple.  
  
“But, since we got a little time, I can give you the Jones family rundown,” Michael sat up and faced Geoff like they were about to talk game-strategies.  
  
“Oh, thank god,” Geoff said.  
  
“You can just call my mom Gina- don’t call her Mrs. Jones under any circumstances, got it?” Michael said.  
  
Geoff nodded intently.  
  
Michael gestured vaguely, “She’s also got this whole hang up about Jimmy’s last name and whatever, but I do not care. Jimmy is Jimmy, but feel free to fuck that up in any way that suits you.”  
  
Geoff chuckled and mimed meeting Jimmy, “Ah, nice to meet you John. Sorry- Jamie, was it? No, damn, I knew it- Jeff with a J right?”  
  
Michael broke into a full-body laugh, nearly jostling Geoff’s mug out of his hands as he nodded, “Yes, yes exactly.”  
  
“Nice, uh- what about uh- sisters?” Geoff asked.  
  
“Right, yeah- so Claire is the pregnant one. She’s a little controlling, a lot loud. Nobody’s given me info on baby daddy, but I’m guessing a Paul or a Trent probably.”  
  
“Just a shot in the dark?” Geoff let out a small laugh.  
  
“More like… usual suspects.” Michael replied.  
  
“Gotcha.”  
  
“And then Olivia’s the middle child. That’s literally all you need to know about her.” Michael said bluntly, and Geoff laughed.  
  
“Ouch.” Geoff said as he tried not to fixate on Michael being the baby of the family explaining quite a bit as well.  
  
“We’re all just a bunch of loud assholes, everyone is definitely gonna get drunk and there’ll probably even be some broken glassware and shit. Just picture an absolute disaster.”  
  
“Fuck, well that’s- uh- that’s exciting.” Geoff said in what he hoped was a vaguely convincing voice.  
  
“It’s gonna be a shitshow. Thanks for coming.” Michael said, and as he spoke the doorbell rang.  
  
“When’s Thanksgiving again?” Geoff piped up as Michael got up to answer the door.  
  
“We got a two day countdown starting… _now.”_ Michael said, and Geoff gulped as he opened the door with a flourish, “HE-ey-,” Michael started strong, then stuttered, voice cracking as he took a step away from the door.  
  
Geoff craned his neck to see what had tripped him up but couldn’t see from the couch. He made to stand, because whoever it was he’d have greet them properly anyway, and put down his coffee just in time to hear the follow up to Michael’s hello.  
  
“Pete?” Michael said, and Geoff nearly tripped over his own feet. Pete. Pete? Like, first kiss with Michael’s sister’s boyfriend Pete? At the door? _Right fucking now?_  
  
“Hey Michael,” came the cheerful responding voice, calm and clear, and Geoff couldn’t get to Michael’s side fast enough.  
  
Geoff was there in an instant, throwing an arm around Michael’s shoulders that was probably the only thing keeping Michael upright while his opposite hand reached out with a composure that Michael was clearly still trying to gather, “Hi, Pete right?”  
  
Pete looked only partway startled, to his credit, as he took Geoff’s hand and shook it, “Yeah.”  
  
“Nice to meet you, I’m Geoff,” Geoff said, glancing toward Michael in the hopes that he had had unfrazzled himself a bit.  
  
“Yes- yeah, Geoff’s my uh- boyfriend.” Michael said, almost on autopilot, but smoothly, “Came up for the holiday- anyway, get out of the cold man, holy shit it’s coming down out there.”  
  
“It sure is,” Pete chuckled out, and came in, shucking snowy his gloves and coat as he crossed the threshold, “Thanks- shit how’ve you been Michael, it’s been years!”  
  
Geoff was smiling and nodding with every ounce of politeness inside of him, but holy fuck he already didn’t like Pete. Fucking Pete. Super nice and very friendly seeming guy. Fucking asshole Pete. God, he had great fucking teeth.  
  
“It’s been alright, man. I’m uh- I’m down in Texas these days.” Michael was nodding and Geoff hadn’t seen this kind of reaction from Michael before. He was something close to over-polite, but with a sharp reserved undertone that Geoff wasn’t used to. Geoff could see him tensing and untensing his jaw and picking at his nails with enough force to turn his nailbeds white, then pink, then white again.  
  
Pete smiled like a god damn Colgate ad, “Yeah? School?”  
  
“For a while now, yeah.” Michael said.  
  
“Wow, that’s great man, yeah,” nice-guy-Pete said, looking between the two of them pleasantly before shaking his head like he was suddenly remembering something, “Oh- hold that thought actually, I promised Claire I’d call when I got here so she knew I wasn’t caught in the blizzard somewhere. Gimme a sec, guys.”  
  
He walked away from them, warming his arms as he did, and though Geoff was totally being nice sweet boyfriend right now, he couldn’t help but assessing if he could take him in a fight. He totally fucking could, by the way.  
  
Once Pete was out of earshot, Michael was practically on the ground, stumbling back till he was sitting on the staircase with a spaced out look in his eyes.  
  
“What the fuck is he doing here!?” Michael whisper-yelled, and Geoff just shook his head in confusion.  
  
“He’s calling Claire? Is he- _is he the fucking baby daddy??”_ Michael speculated, and Geoff tried not to fully flinch at the idea of this guy being at the Thanksgiving dinner. But there was no other explanation.  
  
“Maybe he’s just really good friends with your mom?” Geoff offered.  
  
“Oh my god he’s the baby daddy.” Michael whispered.  
  
“Stop saying baby daddy. I’m having heat flashes here.” Geoff said, pulling at his shirt in an attempt to lighten the mood.  
  
“Geoff. Geoff. I didn’t see this coming.” Michael said, suddenly gripping Geoff’s arm and looking at him in a panic, “Let’s leave.”  
  
“Uh- I’d love to honey, but we kinda don’t have a car.” Geoff said nervously.  
  
“We’ll rent one!”  
  
Geoff nodded, “That’s- that’s an idea yeah. Or we can call Ryan. I vote call Ryan.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah, yes great idea I love that idea.” Michael said, making as if to stand.  
  
“Are you sure? It’s just Thanksgiving, it’ll probably be fine.” Geoff tried, and Michael just shook his head.  
  
“Geoff, you don’t understand. He is literally the _only_ and _worst_ and _longest_ argument I’ve ever had with Claire. We didn’t talk for months. We finally just pretended it never happened, but we don’t even- fuck we’re not even close anymore.”  
  
“Oh.”  
  
“And now. He’s here. Where it’s _normal_ to break dishes and get into fist fights. My mom threw a plate when I wouldn’t pick up Jimmy for fuck’s sake.” Michael gestured toward the kitchen.  
  
Geoff nodded just once, with resolve, “Okay. As soon as he’s off the phone-,”  
  
Just then the door burst open a flood of Joneses that Geoff couldn’t have prepared for in any way shape or form. He put on his good-guy-boyfriend face again as they shuffled in, all coats and snow and yelling and cursing.  
  
“Turn the fucking weather on!” Gina yelled, and Geoff glanced nervously at Michael’s frozen form on the stairs as he went to raise the volume on the TV so everyone could hear.  
  
_“-blizzard warning going into effect by this afternoon. Everyone in New Jersey is urged to plan ahead. Wherever you are at this Tuesday morning, expect to remain there throughout the remainder of the storm and into Thanksgiving day.”_  
  
Pete came in from the kitchen, talking over the TV to Claire, “Hey, I was just leaving a message at the hotel, what’s going on?”  
  
Claire, Geoff presumed, took off her beanie and fixed her hair, “We’re not going to the hotel, Peter.”  
  
“What?” Pete responded, and Geoff just pointed at the TV.  
  
“Oh my god.” Michael groaned just loud enough for Geoff to hear.  
  
“No one’s going anywhere.” Gina said resolutely, hanging up her coat.  
  
“Don’t get so glum, guys! So we’re snowed in, so what! We can make do for a few fuckin’ days, can’t we?” Jimmy said, and nearly everyone glared.  
  
“Shut up, Jimmy,” said who Geoff presumed was Olivia.  
  
“Olivia, hush.”  
  
They all stared at the weather woman as though if they willed hard enough, she would pull the sun back into the sky and declare it summer in the middle of the snowiest day all year. Eventually the news report ended, and everyone’s shoulders slumped as they fully realized the weight of the news report, and you could hear a goddamn pin drop in the room. Geoff was dying to end the tension, but even he couldn’t wade up high enough to catch a gasp of air.  
  
“That’s enough of that,” Jimmy eventually said, “I believe introductions are in order for a lot of us- you, Michael’s boy-,”  
  
Geoff snapped to and put his hand out for Jimmy to shake, “Yeah- hi, I’m Geoff.”  
  
“Geoff, I’m Jim but everyone calls me Jimmy.”  
  
“Great to meet you, Justin,”  
  
“Jimmy,”  
  
“Got it.”  
  
Michael’s shoulders shook with a bit of laughter while Geoff went ahead and introduced himself to the rest of the family, Olivia seeming almost completely disinterested while Claire eyed him curiously. Michael stood up after Geoff made the rounds and put a hand on his arm.  
  
“Geoff can you help me with something upstairs real quick?”  
  
“Sure thing- nice to meet y’all!”  
  
“Pfft. “Y’all” that’s a good one.” Olivia chuckled, and Geoff sighed. Thank fucking god he’d never had siblings.  
  
**  
  
Michael was freaking out. He vaguely realized that he might have been overreacting, but the feeling was _not_ going away. The last time he saw Pete, his lips were still buzzing from the first kiss. And the second one. And then he was gone. Now he had knocked up his sister, and he was still really nice, and Michael wished for the first time in his life that he’d come out to his mother in high school, if only it meant that she could’ve fucking warned him about this. He wouldn’t have brought Geoff to this avalanche of family drama, no fucking way.  
  
They could have been snuggled up at Geoff’s empty apartment right now, finding new places to fuck just to annoy Ryan. Geoff could be half asleep on Michael’s shoulder while he mastered the shit out of Crash Bandicoot. But instead he was leading Geoff up to the second-floor bathroom so he could wash his face with the freezing cold water while Geoff sat on the edge of the bathtub and said… something. There were definitely words coming out of his mouth. Michael couldn’t quite hear it over the ringing in his hears, but his voice was soothing, and it was calming down Michael’s racing heartbeat.  
  
“What?” Michael coughed out as he closed the lid on the toilet so he could sit down.  
  
“Oh nothin’. I was just singing that Britney song.” Geoff said sheepishly.  
  
“Keep singing.” Michael said, putting his head between his knees.  
  
_“Hm somethin’ baby, how was I s’posed to know, that somethin’ wasn’t soooomething,”_ Geoff mostly hummed, and Michael eventually chuckled.  
  
“Geoff those aren’t the words.”  
  
“Oh, are _you_ miss Britney Spears?”  
  
“I wish.”  
  
“I like _you,_ though,” Geoff pouted, “I guess I could get used to the school girl outfit if that’s what you _really_ wanted.”  
  
“Geoff.”  
  
“Michael.”  
  
“What am I gonna do?” Michael whined.  
  
“I can still call Ryan.” Geoff said.  
  
Michael scoffed, “The roads are blocked, Geoffrey.”  
  
“Yeah, well. Ryan’s got inheritance, maybe he has a secret jet we don’t know about,” Geoff suggested. He had no idea where his sudden calm had come from- maybe an automatic response to Michael’s distress. Thank god he was able to hold it together though, fuck knows that the _both_ of them freaking out would be of no fucking help at all.  
  
Michael sat up again, humoring him, “Why’d we all drive up here in one car if he has a jet?”  
  
Geoff shrugged, “He likes to be humble. Like playing house. Or how he lives with me.”  
  
_“Geoff,”_ Michael groaned, resting his head on Geoff’s shoulder.  
  
“Here’s uh- here’s what we’re gonna do- you’re gonna wash your face again, I’m gonna hug you and kiss your face until the color is back in your cheeks, and we’re gonna go downstairs and let everyone think that we couldn’t go five minutes without some kind of sexual contact, since that’s the only explanation for how long we’ve been up here.”  
  
Michael groaned again.  
  
“Then we’re totally gonna survive this weekend, because maybe Pete doesn’t want drama just as much as us, and maybe- even uh, even though it’s unlikely-,” Geoff chuckled, “maybe Claire’s pregnancy made her forget all about any kissing-related mishaps. And even if it didn’t! We are good lover boys and we’re gonna totally convince everyone that we’re _so totally in love_ that there won’t be a single problem- you know how?”  
  
“How?” Michael pouted.  
  
“Because _we actually are._ Everything’s gonna be fine. Or it won’t. But a wise-ass once told me that you can’t just stop being nervous. All you can do is play it out and see if that fuckin’ helps. So we just gotta let it happen and get out there. Okay?” Geoff said, putting his hands on Michael’s shoulders and pulling him to a standing position.  
  
“I hate this.” Michael mumbled.  
  
“I’m uh- I’m also just down to just sit in this bathroom until Friday. I’ve eaten soap before, and I’d do it again for you in a heartbeat. Both of those sentiments are true.” Geoff said, and Michael let out a real laugh at that one.  
  
“Thank fucking christ I have you, Geoffrey.”  
  
“Aw see! The color’s returning to your cheeks already. Okay now hugs and kisses and x’s and o’s.” Geoff pulled Michael into a hug and peppered kisses all over his face while Michael laughed and kissed back at every opportunity.  
  
Michael was still terrified. He hadn’t gone into this holiday expecting a sweet and wholesome family get together exactly, but he couldn’t have predicted this at all. It was quite literally the perfect fucking storm. And they were right in the middle of it. He’d fucking kill to be Olivia right about now.  
  
“We’re staying home for Christmas.” Michael chuckled between kisses.  
  
“Home?” Geoff asked.  
  
Austin. He’d meant Austin.  
  
“Your apartment.” Michael clarified, vaguely flustered but for another reason this time.  
  
“It’s a date.” Geoff said, and kissed Michael’s nose.  
  
There was a sudden banging on the bathroom door.  
  
“SOME OF US HAVE TO TAKE A PISS, VINNY!” Olivia shouted from the other side.  
  
“Vinny?” Geoff asked with an amused face.  
  
“For fuck’s- WE’RE _GOING,_ OLIVIA, FUCK _OFF!”_ Michael hollered.  
  
“Vinny… middle name?” Geoff tried.  
  
“Shut up, Geoffrey.” Michael said, and Geoff let out a cackling laugh.  
  
With that, they opened the door to some fresh and frozen hell. Michael could fucking do this, he knew it, and with Geoff’s hand in his, he knew it for fucking sure.  
  
Well. He fucking hoped he could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELCOME BACK  
> hi hi hi hi hi hi  
> i still don't have an upload schedule but i had a very busy fall!!!!!!! i'm gonna have a significantly less busy winter/spring though so expect more better nicer faster OKAY!!!
> 
> thanks if you're still with me, leave a comment letting me know what you think and leave a kudos if you haven't already !!! ♥


	27. Chapter 27

Michael trudged down the stairs with as much enthusiasm as he could muster, which meant he still needed Geoff gently nudging him forward after every step. Everyone was sitting in the living room, turning their heads in his and Geoff’s direction when they reached the bottom of the stairs, and Michael didn’t even have enough energy to be embarrassed about the squints he was getting for how long they’d been upstairs. That’s not even counting the extra few minutes where Michael sat down in the hallway and refused to get up, acting like a ragdoll until Geoff hauled him to his feet and marrionetted his sorry ass to the edge of the stairs.  
  
“What.” Michael said through gritted teeth.  
  
“Nothing,” said Gina, turning her head back toward the TV and clearing her throat, “Was a long time.”  
  
“Yeah?” Michael asked, “You want me to describe it to you ma?”  
  
“Now listen here-,” Jimmy started, sitting up in his seat as much as the broken springs would allow, and Michael cut him off.  
  
“Shut the fuck up Jimmy,” Michael said, making a disdainful face in his direction and letting out a heated breath.  
  
“Michael.” Geoff said mildly from behind him, and when Michael turned around Geoff’s face communicated _behave_ intensely. Michael felt a flash of anger mixed arousal that confused his senses into flushing him from his chest up to his neck. He pursed his lips and turned back to Jimmy, who looked resigned but indifferent.  
  
“Sorry. Or whatever.” Michael said forcefully, and shrugged, gesturing to the window, “Fuckin’- snow.”  
  
Pete cleared his throat and handed Michael a beer, “I’ll drink to that, fuck the snow,” he said, clinking their bottles before taking a sip from his. His eyes were bright and kind, and Michael had no fucking idea how he could be even remotely positive in their current situation. Did he have the same anxieties that Michael had piled up? Probably not, but neither did his mother, or Jimmy or Olivia for that matter, and even they looked desperate for anything to end this misery.  
  
Still, Michael accepted the beer, half in habit, and opened it out of muscle memory almost. He nodded and tipped his bottle to Pete in a salute that he hoped didn’t seem weird, “Yeah. Yeah okay.”  
  
He slumped down onto the couch beside Pete, sandwiching him between Michael and Claire with just enough room for Geoff to squeeze in next to Michael. Pete held up another beer bottle toward Geoff as he made to sit down, and Michael froze with his beer at his lips.  
  
“Uh-,” Michael started, and Geoff interrupted.  
  
“Thanks man-,” Geoff said, taking the beer and looking at it briefly, “really, but uh- I don’t drink.”  
  
“Oh my bad,” Pete said, and Geoff held a hand out to stop him from reaching out to take it back.  
  
“It’s all good man,” Geoff said as he sat down on the couch, “If I know Michael, that won’t be his only beer tonight.”  
  
Michael let out a snort and scrunched up his nose as he turned to look at him, Geoff only shrugging and winking as he clinked their bottles together. Pete let out a laugh that almost startled Geoff into smashing the damn things into each other, and he leaned past Michael to see Pete looking warmly at Michael through his laugh. Geoff chuckled at the exuberance of Pete’s laugh, shaking the couch between the two of them and Michael just squinted.  
  
“What are you fuckin’ laughing about?” Michael said to Pete.  
  
“Yeah Peter. Why are you laughing?” Claire added, blinking in that faux-innocent way that Michael had inherited along with her.  
  
Pete glanced toward Claire with an unfaltering grin, “Nothing, just that if I remember anything about Michael, it’s that he can down _this_ beer _and_ that one and finish off _mine_ before commercial break ends- right _Kegstand-Mike?”_  
  
Michael widened his eyes briefly and let out a laugh, “Oh my _god,_ don’t even fucking start-,”  
  
“Oh-ho, please _do._ Pete?” Geoff said, leaning over to catch Pete’s eye again.  
  
“Only if Michael proves his worth,” Pete said with a raised brow, eyeing Michael.  
  
“Fuck the both of you,” Michael blushed out, heady with their eyes on him.  
  
“Aw come _on!”_ Geoff pouted, resting his chin on Michael’s shoulder in a way that felt vaguely too public for Michael’s comfort, “Please?”  
  
“You’re all fucking annoying.” Michael said, yanking Pete’s bottle from his grasp. Geoff silently cheered and offered his hand up for a high-five that Pete completed with fervor. Good guy Pete? _Actually_ a good guy? With nice fucking teeth? Geoff was warming up to this fuck.  
  
“Don’t include me in that.” Claire spoke up, suddenly reminding the three of them of the other people in the room.  
  
Michael rolled his eyes, “Don’t worry, you weren’t.”  
  
“Don’t vomit on my carpet, I’ll have you clean it with your goddamn toothbrush,” Gina said, and Geoff nearly choked on his own laugh.  
  
Michael set his sights on Gina, “You think I’m gonna puke? Gina? Your only fucking son? THREE BEERS?” She’d raised him fucking better than that. He was no fucking quitter, and puking after three beers would be a god damn embarrassment to his family name.  
  
“Less than that now,” Pete said, tipping the bottle in Michael’s hand to get a peek.  
  
Michael snatched it away from Pete’s fingers, “Fuck you ma, I’ll do it just to prove you wrong.”  
  
“I’ll get the bucket.” Gina said, getting up to head to the kitchen.  
  
“YOU’RE GONNA EAT THOSE WORDS GINA! I HOPE YOU LIKE HOW THEY TASTE!”  
  
“Probably better than coffee-beer upchuck!”  
  
“Gimme _that.”_ Michael took the beer Geoff was holding and held it between his thighs and opening it to have it at the ready.  
  
Jimmy piped up from where they’d forgot him, “Now, Michael I-,”  
  
Geoff interrupted, “Johnny- please- we’re trying to do something here.”  
  
“Jimmy.”  
  
“What did I say?” Geoff asked.  
  
“CHUG!” Pete yelled excitedly.  
  
“Jesus fucking christ.” Claire said as Michael fully tilted his head back and swallowed down the remaining three-fourths of Pete’s beer, getting up to join her mother in the kitchen.  
  
“What’s happening?” Olivia asked as she descended the stairs, drowned out by the sudden chanting.  
  
_“KEG-STAND-MIKE, KEG-STAND-MIKE, KEG-STAND-MIKE-!”_  
  
Michael swallowed down the last of Pete’s beer, eyes watering as he dropped it in his lap and went to town on his own, the bubbles going down with some idle burning that reminded him of being too young and too drunk and, for some fucking reason, upside down. He could feel Geoff’s eyes on his throat though, and it was as empowering as it was embarrassing, because Geoff had seen him drunk, sure, but he hadn’t seen him fucking _messy._ Beer dribbled out of the sides of his mouth when it had nowhere to go, and Michael could almost feel the nasty shit Geoff was thinking about doing about it. He was feet away from his step-dad for fuck’s sake. He shifted in his seat between his would-be high school sweetheart and his current fuck-me-daddy boyfriend and felt heat in his cheeks when he realized how close they were pressed on either side of him.  
  
Was this what an out-of-body experience felt like?  
  
Michael finished off his beer and turned it upside down as some kind of proof, and then grabbed the final one, wincing briefly through a burp before going on.  
  
_“KEG-STAND-MIKE, KEG-STAND-MIKE, KEG-STAND-MIKE-!”_  
  
“You better had brought your toothbrush Michael,” Gina called from the kitchen, and Michael spluttered a bit like he’d meant to respond but forgot that his lips were sealed around the bottle. He glanced at Geoff out of the corner of his eye and wished he hadn’t. Geoff’s hand landed hot on Michael’s thigh and he flinched.  
  
“You got it, c’mon,” Geoff said quietly, and if Michael couldn’t see the snow through the god damn window he would be sure that he was emanating enough heat to have cleared the roads for a mile around the house.  
  
Michael finished off the beer with less than finesse, tears pricking his eyes and a burp working out of his throat like a corpse out of its coffin. Pete clapped him on the back through a laugh, and Geoff rubbed his thigh faux-soothingly, Michael stopping him in as casual a way as he could muster.  
  
“You did it!” Geoff said and quickly leaned in to kiss his temple.  
  
Michael hadn’t told Geoff anything about PDA, and he wouldn’t have even if he’d thought about it beforehand, but that frozen moment had him blushing and stammering and nervously glancing around. Olivia and Jimmy seemed to have overlooked it, Jimmy’s eyes on Wheel of Fortune since the name fuck-up, and Olivia rolling her eyes and chewing her gum in the only way she knew how. Michael refused to look at Pete though, just for his own sanity- spending the rest of the day picking apart any kind of facial expression seemed like a bit fucking much.  
  
Michael wasn’t even sure that he really nervous because of them being gay- loudly as usual- it felt more like the creeping fear of letting new assholes see into his relationship, so they could grab their microscopes and pitch forks and fuck it up. He scrunched his eyes shut and pushed fear out the window, gathering enough resolve to pull Geoff in for a real kiss, laced with beer and coffee breath and Geoff’s hum of surprise.  
  
Michael backed away casually as he could to find Olivia sticking out her tongue and pointing into her mouth in a _gag-me_ gesture, “Get a room.”  
  
Michael let out a chuckle, “Fuck yourself.”  
  
“Rather not,” Olivia muttered, searching in the couch cushion for the TV remote.  
  
Geoff coughed and warmed his hands a bit, “And now it’s story time?”  
  
“Oh c’mon, if anything I-,” Pause for burp, “-just fucking earned the right to secrecy on all counts.”  
  
Pete clapped a hand on his back, “Don’t worry, Mikey-,”  
  
Michael leaned away from his hold, “Don’t call me that for fuck’s sake Pete-,”  
  
“It’s probably still on tape somewhere in the house,” Pete finished, and the room seemed to quake with dramatic pause, or maybe it was Michael’s entire life flashing before his eyes.  
  
“No it’s not.” Michael said dismissively.  
  
“Yes it is.” Pete said.  
  
Michael looked at him in warning, “No. It’s not.” Geoff seemed positioned in anticipation, saying nothing but glancing around the room like he was about ready to send out a search team. Michael wasn’t fucking around on this one, there was no god damn need for that moment to see the light of day. At all.  
  
“Yeah, it is.” Claire and Olivia said simultaneously.  
  
_“What!?”_ Michael yelled, getting to his feet and turning to Olivia who was pointing vaguely at the shelves under the TV holding countless VHS tapes. Geoff only glanced at Michael for the length of time it took for him to make the _n-_ sound in, _“No!”_ before it was a mad dash for the TV. Michael all but tackled Geoff to the ground as he started yanking tapes out of the shelf, the sound of plastic hitting plastic almost drowning out the blood roaring in Michael's ears.  
  
“GEOFF, COME _ON!”_ Michael said as he wrestled tape after tape out of Geoff’s hands while he rifled through them completely unsure of what he was looking for.  
  
“It's called Farewell Party April 1996,” Claire said after a sip of her drink.  
  
“CUH-LAIRE!” Michael screamed, almost pouting at Claire for the betrayal.  
  
Claire shrugged, “I'm bored.”  
  
“GOT IT.” Geoff yelled, voice cracking with excitement as he raised it above himself.  
  
Michael snatched it out of Geoff's hands and booked it out of the living room, jumping over the couch and making a beeline for the kitchen. He had no fucking plan from there but when he felt a hand catch his shirt he jumped onto the counter, wiggling out of his shirt when Geoff's hold kept him from climbing fully onto the counter.  
  
“Jesus christ, Michael- your shirt-,”  
  
Michael was standing on the counter, holding the tape above his head and jutting his chin out in challenge when Geoff started laughing.  
  
“You dumbass, you're getting the counters all dirty,” Gina frowned.  
  
“I'm gonna put this fucking tape in the microwave,” Michael gasped out.  
  
“You're gonna blow it up if you do that,” Claire said, rubbing her pregnant belly protectively.  
  
“Probably won't,” Michael shrugged.  
  
“Big maybe on that one,” Geoff said.  
  
“It's plastic!” Michael burped out.  
  
“Are you-,” Geoff chuckled, “are you drunk?”  
  
Michael swayed vaguely for a second as he assessed himself, then flipped everyone off and opened the microwave.  
  
“Michael-!”  
  
“Fuck ya- you- _youum!”_ Michael slurred out as the microwave door swung out and hit an open cabinet door.  
  
“Be reasonable!” Geoff laughed out, holding Michael’s shirt up like a white flag.  
  
“WRONG ANSWER!” Michael yelled and then fumbled the tape right into Geoff’s hands.  
  
“Oh, Michael. So many mistakes.” Geoff chuckled and then grabbed Michael around his legs and put the bend of Michael’s waist over his shoulder.  
  
“I- no! Putmedown _putmedown- DOWN!”_ Michael yelled, slapping his hands on Geoff’s ass like there was an off button. The whole house was laughing, his mom practically coughing up a lung with how hard she was laughing while Geoff handed off the tape to Pete.  
  
Michael felt his stomach swoop in more than one way and coughed, “I'm-,”  
  
“Don't-,” Geoff said, but swung him around again like it would help one bit.  
  
Michael let out a laugh through teary-eyes from holding back, “I'll puke all over you, I can puke on- _eurgh-_ on command baby!”  
  
“Please fucking don’t- actually- actually don’t.”  
  
“Drop me,” Michael said, finger posed at his mouth in a show of forcing himself to puke that Geoff couldn’t even see. But he probably could maybe sense it, or Michael was too drunk.  
  
“Don’t stick your finger in your- Michael _don’t!”_ Geoff said, and Michael laughed.  
  
“How did you know!”  
  
“Michael-,”  
  
Then the distinct sound of a tape sliding into the VCR stopped Michael’s laughter dead in its tracks, all were silent for a second until Michael started actively trying to escape from Geoff’s hold, pulling himself partway onto the couch and kicking until Geoff let him tumble over the couch and onto the carpet. The tumble had him dizzy as hell, and he tried to blink back into clarity while he listened to the tape start, just drunken voices Michael vaguely recognized giving goodbye messages to some guy Michael only vaguely remembered.  
  
Then there was cheering, and Michael’s vision focused as the camera panned to the aforementioned keg, where Michael was being steadied by two beefy dudes holding him upside down while he gulped and people counted how long he’d been going.  
  
“Okay! That’s the tape! Happy thanksgiving, let’s turn it off-,” Michael said, leaning forward to hit eject and being stopped just short by Geoff’s hand on one shoulder and Pete’s on the other pulling him back against the couch. Michael blushed and swallowed as he prepared for Geoff’s infamous full-body kicking and leaning back laugh.  
  
“Who are those guys?” Geoff asked.  
  
“I dunno. Some seniors.” Michael shrugged, blush refusing to leave his cheeks.  
  
“And you were-?” Geoff asked, and Michael would bet dollars to fucking donuts that he was doing that jaw-clenching thing.  
  
“A freshman.” Michael mumbled.  
  
“Uh-huh.”  
  
“Shut it.” Michael said, and then Claire shushed them as she rejoined them on the couch.  
  
“They’re about to let him down,” Claire said, grabbing the remote and upping the volume.  
  
“How many times did you _watch_ this?” Michael asked.  
  
“Shh.”  
  
Michael watched in second-hand embarrassment as he was let down from the keg and people clapped and laughed. He couldn’t fucking look away, it was like a car crash in slow motion and he couldn’t do anything to stop it.  
  
He stumbled away from the keg and raised his arms up in victory- of what he wasn’t sure- and then the girl whose name escaped him grabbed him by his t-shirt and pulled him in for a kiss that Michael could only remember as very wet and very aggressive.  
  
“Oh, Michael,” Geoff laughed, tilting his head as he watched how Michael looked like when he kissed from another perspective.  
  
“Yeah we can’t all be gold-star gays.” Michael mumbled.  
  
“Get in line,” Geoff said, and Michael chuckled.  
  
“I can’t believe Nina made out with you,” Claire spoke up.  
  
“I’m betting she feels the same way,” Pete said, and Claire laughed.  
  
They all cackled and pretend-gagged as Michael let the girl- Nina- kiss him, and just as Geoff was chuckling out, “This isn’t so bad-,” Pete interrupted, “Wait for it.”  
  
“Wait for wh-,” Geoff started, glancing back at the TV just as Michael attempted to pull away from her for a full second, her hold on his waist preventing any escape. Michael couldn’t shut his eyes but turned to watch Geoff’s reaction for his own sanity.  
  
_“No,”_ Geoff let out just as Michael pushed away from Nina, puking on her mouth and all down her chest while she shrieked bloody murder and shoved him so he fell on his ass before she ran away.  
  
Geoff let out his shrill laugh as the tape went on, kicking his legs out and leaning back with eyes shut tight, _“You- you, oh honey I’m so-,”_ Geoff gasped out between laughs, and then laughed even harder, voice blending into Pete’s and Claire’s laugh, and even Olivia’s low breathy laugh as she rolled her eyes.  
  
“Alright, we all had a fucking laugh, I think that’s enough,” Michael said, successfully ejecting the tape while they all mimed Michael puking over and over at one another.  
  
“Well that poor girl probably didn’t find it so funny,” Jimmy said, sitting up to grab the paper from the coffee table.  
  
“She probably didn’t, Georgie, you’re absolutely right,” Geoff said, leaning over to clap him on the shoulder.  
  
“It’s Jim-,” he started, but was interrupted by Gina from the kitchen, “Frozen pizza in the oven, guys, dinner!”  
  
_“Mooom,_ how am I supposed to eat after _that?”_ Olivia whined.  
  
“You’re a big girl Olivia, you’ll figure it out,” Claire said, ruffling Olivia’s bangs while Olivia flipped her off.  
  
“Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean I won’t still kick your ass,” Olivia mumbled.  
  
“No, I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what that means,” Claire said as she followed Pete into the dining room, and Olivia stomped after them saying something else. Jimmy put down his paper and followed after everyone else, nodding at Geoff and Michael awkwardly as he left the room.  
  
Geoff helped Michael up, and Michael rested his head on Geoff’s chest briefly, “They’re so fucking crazy.”  
  
“I like them.”  
  
“Yeah?” Michael chuckled.  
  
“I like you more.” Geoff added.  
  
“What parts?” Michael asked with a smirk, gasping quietly when Geoff squeezed his ass.  
  
“This is a good one,” Geoff said.  
  
“Geoff, christ,” Michael let out, putting his hands on Geoff’s wrists as if to stop him, but just holding him there instead.  
  
“Just a sneak peek for later,” Geoff shrugged, looking over Michael’s head to the kitchen to make sure they weren’t yet being missed.  
  
“Oh really? Puking turn you on that much?” Michael asked.  
  
“Funny. _So_ funny.” Geoff said.  
  
“I thought so.” Michael chuckled.  
  
“Mhm.” Geoff rolled his eyes, and kissed him soft for a second, then heated when Michael’s teeth caught Geoff’s lower lip. Geoff let out a breath as he pulled Michael in by his waist a little closer, then closer-  
  
“Hey uh-,” they pulled apart and found Pete in the doorway of the dining room, blushing and sheepish, “Uh- the uh- pizza’s. Ready.”  
  
Michael fully turned away from the situation, hiding his face in Geoff’s chest as Geoff nodded his appreciation, “Thanks Pete.”  
  
“Yeah.” Pete lingered for a second then disappeared into the dining room.  
  
“God, I’m not gonna survive this.” Michael said into Geoff’s chest.  
  
“He’s nice. It’ll be fine.” Geoff shrugged.  
  
“Stop being so cool with everything.” Michael whined.  
  
“Hey, you’re fine. We’re fine. Let’s get some pizza, okay?”  
  
Michael let out a breath and looked at Geoff again, leaning up to press another kiss to his mouth and then taking a deep breath. “Okay.”  
  
**  
  
Michael pulled Geoff into his bedroom by his belt loops, interrupting Geoff mid-sentence so that he let out a surprised chuckle when Michael pressed his back into the door as it closed.  
  
“- I take that back, actually the pizza wasn’t bad,” Geoff continued as Michael kissed down his prickly jawline to his throat.  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“Yeah, I just didn’t eat much of it. Mm,” Geoff hummed as Michael pressed his hand to Geoff’s cock through his pants. “I was talking too much.”  
  
“You were fine,” Michael said vaguely as he pulled his own shirt over his head.  
  
“Fine?” Geoff repeated as Michael pushed his shirt up over his chest.  
  
“You were great, _please_ let me take off your shirt,” Michael whined, leaning in to kiss a mark in the center of Geoff’s chest.  
  
Geoff rolled his eyes and raised his arms so Michael could get his shirt over his head and out of the way. Geoff pulled Michael in for a kiss, humming quiet indulgence as he sucked on Michael’s lower lip for a second, hands finding Michael’s ass and using the purchase to press their hips flush against one another.  
  
_“Fuck-,”_ Michael whispered against Geoff’s mouth.  
  
“Patience begets rewards,” Geoff said, relishing at the rough slide of their hips through their pants.  
  
“Fuck patience, c’mon,” Michael said, pulling Geoff down to the floor despite the bed being only a few feet away.  
  
“Michael-,” Geoff chuckled as Michael laid him out on the floor and unbuttoned his jeans.  
  
“What? I’m showing you that impatience-,” Michael paused to pull Geoff’s jeans down to his knees, “Has rewards too.”  
  
“Like fucking on your bedroom floor instead of- _mmph-,”_ Geoff was cut off by Michael’s mouth on his as he moved to straddle him, rocking his hips back and forth and pulling a low moan from Geoff’s throat.  
  
“Mhm,” Michael hummed.  
  
Geoff put his hands on Michael’s hips to still him briefly, “Alright you win, get your fucking pants off.”  
  
“Yes daddy,” Michael teased, and Geoff let his head fall back against the floor.  
  
Michael rose to shimmy out of his pants and shoes and went to dig through their bag to find the lube and a damned condom while Geoff idly focused on breathing and palming over his length over his boxer briefs. Michael came back with lube in hand, landing not-so-softly on Geoff’s hips.  
  
_“Oof-,”_ Geoff let out, his hands finding their home on Michael’s hips and his eyes finding Michael’s taunting smile.  
  
“Hi,” Michael said.  
  
“Hi. Ow.” Geoff said, hands roaming up Michael’s sides and then back down like in soothing Michael he would somehow soothe himself.  
  
“Don’t be a fucking baby. Here,” Michael said handing off the lube and a condom.  
  
“One condition-,” Michael whined and leaned over to lay fully over Geoff, resting his chin on his hands right on Geoff’s chest tattoos.  
  
“You gotta-,” Geoff licked his lips briefly in pause as Michael rocked his hips into Geoff’s, “just- just- be quiet okay?”  
  
“Boring,” Michael said, already slipping out of his boxer briefs.  
  
Geoff nodded as if he heard what Michael said while his cock dripped over Geoff’s stomach, “For my sanity, I’d just- I’d just prefer it if your sisters didn’t hear us fucking.”  
  
“But _at what cost,_ Geoffrey,” Michael whined, thumbing at the head of his own cock and holding back a laugh at Geoff’s eyes following the movement.  
  
Geoff’s eyes snapped up and caught Michael’s smugness, and he sat up a bit so he could tilt Michael’s chin down with a steady hand, “Can you do that for me?”  
  
Michael swallowed.  
  
“Can you do that for me baby?” Geoff went on, hand trailing down his chest and replacing Michael’s hold on his cock with his own, “hold back all your whimpers and moans, no matter how good daddy makes you feel?”  
  
Michael whined high in his throat and stilled Geoff’s movements with a hand on his wrist.  
  
“Hm?” Geoff asked, and Michael pouted a little bit.  
  
“I’ll be good,” Michael grumbled.  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
Michael answered him by pushing him back down onto the floor and kissing him filthy, licking into his mouth and grinding his ass over Geoff’s dick. Geoff’s hands moved to Michael’s ass and pressed him impossibly closer, letting out a hot breath somewhere between a gasp and a moan swallowed by Michael’s insistent mouth.  
  
Michael pulled away suddenly, all flushed cheeks and watery eyes as he fumbled the waistband of Geoff’s underwear down to his knees, “I wanna ride you, please _please,”_ he whispered, voice cracking.  
  
“Whatever you want,” Geoff said, popping the cap on the abandoned lube and slathering his fingers with it. Michael was impatient with the prep as usual, wanting _now_ and _fast_ and _please._ Geoff indulged him, still stretching him to a satisfactory point that Michael would’ve gone without, writhing on Geoff’s fingers and wanting more, always more.  
  
“C’mon, c’mon please I’m ready-,” Michael whispered, leaning into say it directly into Geoff’s ear and sending shivers down his spine.  
  
“I got you, I got you hold on,” Geoff said, nearly forgetting the condom that Michael was already ripping open and rolling over Geoff’s dick.  
  
Geoff lubed up his cock and jacked it a bit as Michael angled his hips over him. Geoff started to say something, maybe to tell Michael to start slow, but his words tangled in his throat when Michael started sinking down, eyes scrunched closed and chest flushed a delicious pink that Geoff could just melt into.  
  
“Oh fuck, Michael, baby,” Geoff managed to choke out, voice low and earthy in a way that hit all of Michael’s pleasure centers.  
  
“Fuck, _fuck_ you feel so good, oh god,” Michael said quietly once his ass was flush with Geoff’s hips, biting his lip and letting out short breaths with his eyes closed.  
  
Geoff shifted his hips up a bit and Michael let out a whine, and then stopped himself, drawing a low chuckle from Geoff, “Good boy. Gonna be good for me?”  
  
Michael lifted his hips and then sunk back down, jaw dropping at the stretch, and then refocused on Geoff’s lust-glazed eyes and smirked, “I’m gonna be so good for you.”  
  
Michael watched Geoff’s expression darken briefly, and then started moving his hips, slowly at first and building up to a faster and faster pace while Geoff lost his fucking mind beneath him.  
  
“Oh god- oh _Michael_ fuck, fuck,” Geoff said, voice brittle and barely a whisper.  
  
“Yeah?” Michael said, breathless as he bounced on Geoff’s cock, hands moving for Geoff’s chest as leverage.  
  
“You look so fucking good baby, _god_ you feel so good,” Geoff moaned. Michael let out a heavy breath and played into how good he looked, tossing his head back and biting his lip in pleasure that was simply pornographic. Geoff choked on air and thrusted up to meet Michael’s hips, his hands finding Michael’s ass and kneading his ass cheeks.  
  
_“Fuck!”_ Michael moaned on a particularly good thrust, and Geoff shushed him, going as far as putting a finger to Michael’s lips like that could stop his involuntary outbursts. Michael just grinned and sucked the finger into his mouth, humming when Geoff moaned and added another. Michael hollowed his cheeks and closed his eyes as he split his attention between that and fucking himself on Geoff’s cock. Geoff let out quiet breath after quiet breath, fucking into Michael relentlessly so that they vibrated with the heat of it.  
  
Geoff slipped his fingers out of Michael’s pink mouth to his hips to help him as his thrusts became more erratic, and Michael let out a sigh and got a hand on his cock, jerking himself in earnest as Geoff slammed into him just perfectly again and again.  
  
“Fuck, I’m gonna come, I’m-,” Michael driveled thoughtlessly on as Geoff hummed encouragement and drove into Michael with less and less finesse as they both approached the edge.  
  
Which is maybe why neither of them noticed the _click_ of the door opening.  
  
“Hey- _oh,_ shit sorry!”  
  
Michael was only barely cognizant enough to look up and see Pete in the doorway blushing so hard it looked like it hurt, but somehow didn’t have enough presence of mind to stop jacking off. In fact, he had exactly enough functioning brain cells to shout, _“Pete!? Geoff-,”_ and then come all over Geoff and himself and fall over in confusion.  
  
The door shut as Michael’s confused orgasm racked through him on the floor, and he flat out refused to open his eyes in any universe where this moment was allowed to happen to him, and yes he was taking the whole god damn thing personally and if God wanted to fight him on it, he’d go down swinging- dear _god, why did this happen?_ He could hear Geoff panicking under the sounds of Pete on the other side of the door.  
  
“I was just uh- well, that doesn’t matter I’m so uh-,” Pete was rambling on the other side of the door, and when Michael opened his eyes it was to Geoff opening the door just a crack in just his jeans and no shirt. Michael winced at the sliver of Pete’s face he could see from his position, wild eyed, and still blushing.  
  
“Uh, what’s up?” Geoff said, and Michael wanted to fucking scream. _Hey, sorry you just saw us fuck, what was it that you wanted?_ Michael could kill him.  
  
“Um. Listen, I’m _so_ sorry dude, we were gonna watch a movie and I wanted to see if you guys were awake if you wanted to join us,” Pete rushed out, and Michael mourned his time on this planet as he wiped come off of his abdomen with a discarded t-shirt and pulled some clean sweatpants from his luggage.  
  
“Don’t uh- hey uh- hey don’t worry about it. Just give us a sec here, we might just join ya,” Geoff said, and Michael could tackle him to the fucking ground and choke him to death, “You decent Michael?”  
  
Michael opened his mouth to scream, but all that came out was, “Uh. Yeah. I guess.”  
  
Geoff opened the door all the way like evidence of what just happened wasn’t literally all over the floor, and Michael knew for a goddamned fact that his chest and cheeks were still pink and he probably looked so fucked out it wasn’t even funny. Pete blinked a lot as his eyes traveled not-so-quickly up Michael’s body, and Michael blushed more if possible.  
  
“Sorry. About- that, I mean. Pete,” Michael said from further in the room, looking away and running a hand through his hair idly.  
  
“My fault.” Pete said.  
  
“Don’t uh- don’t tell Claire,” Michael said, walking forward as Pete made to leave them a moment.  
  
“No, yeah, my lips are sealed,” Pete said, miming a zipper over his lips and smiling good-naturedly.  
  
“Cool, we’ll be down in a few,” Geoff said, and Pete nodded and walked off as Geoff closed the door.  
  
Michael basically collapsed as soon as the door closed, just disappointed that for seventeen god damn years he locked that door for _anything,_ and now had completely broken from what was- what turns out to be- a very fucking important habit. What a fucking idiot.  
  
“Was he… checking you out?” Geoff asked, pointing over his shoulder at the door with a curious look on his face as he crossed the room toward Michael.  
  
“What?” Michael asked.  
  
Geoff shrugged, “I mean. He looked you up and down. I- hand to fucking God- I saw it,”  
  
“Geoff, I probably still have come on me, I’m half naked, I’m- we- there are more important things,” Michael sighed.  
  
“Uh not sure that we- uh that- we have the same priorities,” Geoff chuckled out.  
  
Michael rolled his eyes, “Oh, I know exactly what your priorities are.”  
  
“I- uh- I don’t think so,” Geoff said.  
  
“Did you come?”  
  
“… No,”  
  
Michael scoffed, “So your priority is: will Michael blow me, or is the mood still ruined?”  
  
“Well- I- uh-,” Geoff chuckled, and his cheeks pinked a bit, “Well is it?”  
  
“Is what?”  
  
“Is the mood still ruined?” Geoff asked with a cheesy smile.  
  
“I’ll fucking kill you.”  
  
“Before or _after_ you suck me off?” Geoff replied, and Michael threw a pillow at him. Geoff laughed and laughed, eventually sitting beside Michael and pulling him in for a hug.  
  
“It’s not a big deal, I feel like everyone I know has seen me jerk off at some point,” Geoff said.  
  
“Jerking off is not the same as fucking,” Michael said.  
  
“They’re basically the same,” Geoff countered, and Michael thudded his head against Geoff’s chest like it was a wall.  
  
“I’m just gonna be loud next time, loud means no one walks in. Unless they’re morons. Or deaf,” Michael deadpanned.  
  
“I got a- uh- another idea. Lock the door?”  
  
“Oh write that one down. That’s a good one.”  
  
Geoff laughed and they sat there for a bit while Michael tried to reform his unbothered exterior and put on a clean shirt, and maybe, possibly, very quickly suck off Geoff before they went downstairs. Because that’s manners. Or something. Plus, Geoff would never shut up about it. And if as they were walking down the stairs, Pete had the same look in his eyes as when he was looking at Michael shirtless and disheveled before, well. There wasn’t a whole fuck of a lot to be said about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the part where i tell you guys that writing is hard ~~and sometimes the thing you wanted to write ends up twice as long as what you wanted and you could split into two chapters and save yourself some trouble but you're not sure where a good midpoint is and!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~~
> 
> thanks for reading guys, next chapter soon!
> 
> as always i love reading your comments so let me know what you think, and leave kudos if you haven't already ! ♥


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